Beautiful
by girlstarfish
Summary: (yaoi, au, 1+2 & other pairings) When Heero, a monster hunter, finds himself staying with the creatures he hunts, chaos can only ensue. Why does Duo have such a hard time keeping friends? What bit Wufei? Why does Quatre like the color green so much?
1. Default Chapter

****

BEAUTIFUL.

part one.

****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero groaned, opening his eyes. Darkness greeted him. 

"Where am I?" he wondered aloud.

"Shush," a gentle voice said. "Just relax." A hand brushed his forehead, followed a moment later by a warm cloth. "You had a nasty fall," the voice continued, and Heero allowed himself to be soothed by it. "But you're okay now. Rest."

Trusting that voice implicitly, Heero did as he was told.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next time Heero opened his eyes it was to gentle candlelight and the sound of laughter. He lay where he was, taking stock of his situation. He was horizontal, lying on what appeared to be a nest of rough blankets. The wall beside him was rough rock, the light playing over it showed it to be a cave wall, rather than that of a constructed object. He attempted to sit up and instantly regretted it.

"Ow!"

The laughter broke off. "Trowa—"

"I've got it." 

Two arms suddenly encircled Heero. 

"Lie back down," he was commanded. "You were thrown from your horse, we fear you've broken at least one rib. You must be still."

Heero didn't argue, letting himself be pushed back down. "Wing?"

"Pardon?"

"Where's Wing?"

"Trowa, I think he means the horse—" Heero didn't recognise the voice from his first waking immediately, the worried tone altered it completely. 

"That's right," Heero said, slightly alarmed by the hesitant tone. "Has something happened to him?"

"Uh, well… you might say that."

Heero was held down roughly as he attempted to sit again. "Is he hurt?"

At the edge of the extent of the dim candlelight, Heero caught sight of a dim figure, twisting the edge of his black tunic. "Not really, no. In fact, you could say he'll never hurt again—"

"Wing," Heero shook his head. "No."

"I'm really sorry—"

"No!" Heero yelled. "Not Wing—"

"It'll be all right," Trowa said, struggling to hold back down on the bed. "You'll find another horse."

Heero fought against the youth furiously. There seemed to be something almost inhuman in those green eyes, almost obscured by the thick fringe. "You don't understand! Wing was my friend!"

Was—

He'd said was.

Heero gave up the fight, falling limply back onto the blankets. "No—"

"These things happen," the brown haired boy calmly pulled the blankets up around him. "You'll be fine."

"Leave me," Heero ordered cursorily. When the boy hesitated he glared at him. "I said leave!"

"Come on, Trowa. Let's give him some space," the figure by the wall said.

The green eyed boy nodded, Heero's eyes following him as he crossed the space illuminated by the candle, apparently quitting the cave by stepping through another passage. The figure by the door leaned over and blew out the candle, leaving Heero in darkness.

Heero waited until he heard the footsteps of the second person grow fainter. Only when he was sure no sound could be heard did he allow himself to cry.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heero lay there.

He'd cried himself out a long time ago. Truthfully, that hadn't taken long. Although Wing had been his most trusted companion and he grieved his loss sorely, J had done simply too good a job at training the youth in the ways of the warrior. He'd resigned himself to his loss. That didn't make the dull ache in his heart go away any more.

A soft rustle of fabric alerted him to the fact that he had a visitor.

"Hey there."

Heero grunted in reply. He felt a weight near his feet as his guest sat down. 

"So, how are you doing?"

Another grunt.

His guest gave a shaky laugh. "That bad, huh? Look—I'm really sorry about this."

"Don't be."

"Huh?" The surprise in that voice was evident.

"You didn't know Wing," Heero said coolly. "You don't hurt that he's gone. Why be sorry?"

"I hurt more than you know," the voice replied evenly. "Man, I—" A sigh. "Why don't you tell me about him?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's obvious he was more than a horse to you."

Heero laughed coldly. "He was my friend. Perhaps my only friend—"

"Oh."

"He wasn't just a horse, you see. He was my partner—"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"—if it hadn't been for Wing, that Siren would have got me. But we got her in the end. The townsfolk thought I was nuts when I asked for half the reward in oats—but Wing deserved it. He was worth every bit of it."

"You two sound like you made an incredible team," the voice said wistfully. "It must be nice to go off and have adventures like that—"

Heero considered that. Was it nice?

"I can't help but notice though, you and Wing fought an awful lot of monsters," Heero's unseen visitor remarked. "Does that make you monster-hunters?"

"J prefers the term 'extreme pest control.' He thinks it gives us a more professional sound."

"I see."

Heero considered that. Those last few words didn't sound… happy.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I just… What do you consider a monster?"

It was an unexpected question. Suddenly Heero put two and two together. The dimly lit room, Trowa's vividly green eyes, and the concern in his companion's voice. "You fear that I will eliminate your friend?"

The sharp intake of breath was all the confirmation he needed. 

"I noticed before. Trowa's eyes are too green to be human. Is he a wood spirit?"

"Dryad," the voice acknowledged. "But he wouldn't hurt anyone. He's gentle, he'll only fight to protect the wildlife, or an animal in trouble—"

"Provided he does not make a practice of harming humans, he need fear nothing from me," Heero said.

"Phew! I tell ya, that's a weight off," Heero felt himself smile at the relief in the voice. "Trowa's my best friend—hell, my only friend," the voice acknowledged, confidentially. "Without him, I'd go nuts. You wouldn't believe it, but I have a hard time keeping friends—"

Heero let himself been drawn into the other's story. It felt relaxing, peaceful, just to drift—

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"—and then the Harpy said, 'But this is my evening dress!'"

"Hn."

"That was a joke, Heero. You're supposed to laugh."

"I don't understand. What did it matter if the Harpy's feathers were soiled or not?"

"You don't have much of a sense of humor, do you? When I told that one to Trowa, he just about split his sides laughing."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Maybe I just need to work on that one some more."

Heero smiled. Duo never seemed to give up on anything. It was one of his friend's—yes, his friend's--more endearing traits. Trowa, too. During the days since the accident he'd been closely tended by the two of them. Trowa had tended his wounds by candlelight; Duo had kept him company in the darkness. 

Heero sought out Duo's hand by touch. 

"Sing that song for me," he requested.

"Sure thing." Heero sighed wistfully as Duo cleared his throat and began to sing. He had an amazing voice—he'd used it to lull Heero to sleep on many occasions. In fact, and Heero blushed as he remembered, that voice had been the source of not a little embarrassment. 

It was so sweet that he'd naturally assumed the voice belonged to a female and had addressed Duo as such. His friend had howled with laughter. Trowa eventually had had to explain. When Heero, horrified at his mistake had tired to explain, Duo waived all apologies. 

"Don't be sorry," he'd said. "I've never been called a fair maid before—definitely not to my face at least. I'm taking it as a compliment."

"How are you feeling?" Trowa asked, entering the cave.

"Not bad," Duo said. "And you?"

"Idiot." There was a scuffling sound, as Trowa felt his way over to the bed. "Heero?"

"I'm fine," Heero said. 

"Good. I'll take a look at your wounds. Hang on…"

A light was struck. Although Heero looked up as quickly as he could, all he could catch of Duo was the edge of a black robe disappearing down the passage. He sighed at another missed chance to see Duo. Although the two of them had spent hours discussing their respective lives, Duo had not allowed Heero to see his face at all. When pressed, he just refused point blank to talk about it, telling Heero he had very good reasons for not showing himself.

It disappointed Heero. Duo was so kind and funny and full of life that he'd become quickly infatuated with him, when he thought he was a girl. Even now that he knew different, he sometimes caught himself thinking wistfully of—

"Your ribs are healing nicely. I think you may be ready to leave us soon," Trowa reported. 

Leave? Heero had not thought of that possibility. Of course it was inevitable, but to leave now—without having even overcome Duo's strange reluctance to show his face?

"But I can't leave."

"You'll be fine. I can guide you safely through the forest. There's a town nearby, they can help you find your friends."

But—you're my friends, Heero wanted to say. But—perhaps, they didn't want him? Was that why—

"Trowa. Is Duo… ugly?"

"Ugly?" The gaze Trowa threw on him was alarmed. "He didn't say that, did he?"

"No—"

Trowa's grip around Heero's arm tightened uncomfortably. "You better not have said anything. If you knew how hard it was to convince him that he was not hideous—"

"I didn't. I just wondered. He never shows his face to me and I thought that maybe he was ashamed—"

"Duo has nothing to be ashamed of," Trowa answered promptly. 

"He's not ugly then?"

"Not at all. He's not got typical looks but to some tastes… I'd go so far as to say he's downright beautiful."

"Is he cursed?"

"Not as such. He was just born into the wrong family," Trowa sighed as he tied off a bandage. "All done!"

Heero frowned as he tested that bandage. "Is it me then?"

"Heero… I can't explain. But trust me, Duo has a very good reason for not showing you his face. Please, whatever you do—respect that."  
Trowa rarely said anything he didn't mean. Heero nodded solemnly, he would take that advice.

The dryad smiled, then left Heero.

The candle remained, small light flickering as Heero considered what he'd learned. He would leave soon. Duo was not ugly.

After a moment's thought he reached over and carefully extinguished the candle.

A few minutes later, he heard the slight noise of Duo's return.

"Heero—Trowa tells me you're almost better. Guess you'll be leaving us soon?"

"I'd rather stay," Heero said.

"I know. I wish you could but—it'd never work."

Heero didn't know why Duo sounded so sure but it hurt. Still… "Duo? Could you come over here please?"

If Duo thought the request strange, he didn't show it. Heero put a hand out to grip his tunic and carefully felt for Duo's face. 

"Uh, Heero? What are you doing?"

Heero decided to answer the question by showing Duo exactly what he was doing. Once his hands had found Duo's mouth, Heero bent his lips to them. It was awkward—he wasn't what you'd call experienced in kissing, and the fact there was no light made it worse. However, the results were very worth it. Duo seemed to enjoy it too—at least, he didn't pull away, until Heero had finished.

"Um, Heero? You haven't forgotten the whole not a girl thing?" Duo asked hesitantly as they stood, trying to sort out their reactions to that kiss. 

Heero snorted. "No."

"Okay then."

Heero yelped as he was suddenly and enthusiastically jumped, thrown back onto the bed. He had no time for protest, as Duo's lips effectively claimed his—Heero moaned, letting Duo deepen the kiss. He wrapped his arms around Duo, even as his tongue explored Duo's mouth. Heero winced as his tongue caught on something sharp. What—There was a matching protrusion the other side of Duo's mouth. Fangs then—which led to another explanation of why he wouldn't show his face. Fear of Heero. The monster hunter pulled Duo closer—when they had finished the kiss, they could have a chat about this—

Duo ran his fingers through Heero's hair, pulling out of the kiss to murmur, "So soft," against Heero's cheek. Heero smiled, taking the opportunity to explore Duo's face with his fingers. The skin that met his was smooth, the features, as far as he could judge, evenly formed—it would appear his hypothesis was correct, that it was fear of Heero not shame—

Duo hissed and fell off the bed.

Heero sat up worriedly. "Duo, are you all right? Did I do something wrong?"

"Ow…" Heero could hear Duo picking himself up slowly. "I'm okay. My butt's a little sore but I can deal."

"What happened?" Heero asked.

"You just surprised me. I should have warned ya. Head and shoulders are off limits, okay?"

'You don't have to be afraid of me, Duo."

"Huh?"

Heero reached for Duo again, but this time the boy didn't respond. "I felt your fangs when we kissed. I know you're a monster. But you've been good and kind to me… I'd never hurt you."

"If only it were that simple," Duo sighed. "Heero, I'm afraid… once you leave, it would best if you don't return."

"Don't you want me to?"

"I'm doing us both a favor here. Trust me, it's best this way. We may not like it, but—"

"Duo, what are you?"

There was silence after Heero's sudden question, then Duo sighed and answered.

"Death."

Heero heard his footsteps fade away. 

Although he spent the next few hours lying in complete darkness, he remained alone until Trowa returned to guide him out of the tunnels and back to the human village. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Pardon me, sir, but I couldn't help but notice your sword—"

Heero grunted, scarcely looking up at the blonde girl standing beside him his table. 

"Are you a warrior?"

"On occasion. Mostly I'm a monster hunter."

"Even better." The girl sat down. "Are you currently on a quest?"

Heero grunted in the negative. He really wanted to be left alone. First Wing, and then Duo—he hadn't even said goodbye—

"My name is Relena. I'm the ruler of this city."

It was really more like a town than a city, but Heero didn't point this out to her. "You have a job for me?"

"Yes. Tell me… have you heard of the gorgon Medusa?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was creepy to say the least. Wandering through a forest that seemed to consist of equal parts of trees and statues. From the drawn swords that a lot of the statues carried, Heero realized he wasn't the first soldier Relena had employed on this quest. That didn't bother him overmuch—he was used to doing things that other people couldn't.

There were not just statues of people, Heero noted. A fair few woodland creatures stood petrified. And over there, that looked like a—horse?

Heero hesitantly approached, not wanting to see his fears confirmed but unable to turn away. "Wing—"

His companion stood on his hind legs, shying at the sight of something. Frozen. Heero reached out his hand to the horse that was so much more than that—drawing it away quickly at the cold feel. 

Turning away quickly he drew his sword. The gorgon would pay for this—she would pay dearly indeed.

It was not long after that he began to find recent marks of someone walking through the forest. Since most people were too afraid to come near the woods because of the gorgon, that left only one option—

Using the back of his highly polished shield to scour the surrounding area, Heero approached with caution. A faint noise from ahead told him that his prey was indeed close—finally he caught sight of his target in his shield. The gorgon knelt by a pond, her back to him as she stared at something within the water. In place of hair, several snakes wound their way back and forth, eyes flicking across the clearing, although they did not seem too interested in keeping watch.

Perfect.

Heero approached carefully. However, he had not fully anticipated how hard it was to approach the Gorgon without looking at her directly. Concentrating on her image in the shield he completely forgot to keep his eyes on the path—and immediately stumbled over a large rock.

Heero cursed as he fell, knowing the noise would alert the Gorgon to his presence. He scrambled up right, hurrying to get his shield back in the right position—

"Heero?"

He whipped his head up incredulously at that voice. "Duo?"

Stricken violet eyes met his. "Oh no! I'm so sorry—"

For what? Heero wondered until a growing stiffness in his limbs told him. "Duo—"

"I'm so unbelievably sorry, Heero—Believe me, I never meant for this to happen," Duo wrapped his arms around Heero and sobbed. Heero felt a tear of Duo's run down his cheek.

"Trowa was right," he said, pulling Duo away from him to look at him. "You are beautiful."

"Heero," Duo whispered, bending to his lips.

A brief moment of warmth and then…

Heero knew no more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

end part one. Tbc.


	2. Twp

****

hBEAUTIFUL

part two.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"But Wufei, someone there needs our help. I just **know** it."

The black haired warrior snorted. "Quatre, 'special feelings' are for weak onna's. That's why it's known as woman's intuition."

"Wufei! It's real! We have to go to that town!" Quatre sighed realising his companion was not about to be shaken. "You wouldn't want to chance some miscreant fleeing justice just because you were afraid of a little detour—"

"Silence, Winner."

"After all, it will only take an about an hour to get there. And its not like we've got anywhere else to go."

"Besides if I refuse you'll sulk all day and give me those little pouty looks until I'm about ready to keel over from guilt, right?"

The blond youth beamed. "Right!"

What the hell, Wufei thought. May as well get this over with. "Fine! Let's go to that stupid town."

"Yay! Thank-you Wufei!"

"But don't think this means you can walk all over me. Justice will be served no matter what—"

"Yes Wufei."

"And I can put up with those pouty looks of yours. I just happen to be in a good mood today. I'm enduring your nonsense for no other reason."

"Yes Wufei."

"So you can stop looking so insufferably happy!"

"Yes Wufei."

Shenlong snorted. Wufei glared suspiciously at his horse—surely Shenlong wouldn't laugh at him? Then again, there was probably a conspiracy going on between him and Winner. He decided to be quiet and simply observe the route our new path was taking us on. 

Shenlong whinnied softly.

"And I'm not sulking either!"

"Yes Wufei."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So this is the village you wanted to come to?" The black haired warrior raised an eyebrow looking around the to all appearances typical small country town. 

"Yes." Quatre said frowning. "Although . . . I'm not so sure it's the town that's the source of the problem."

"You're new here," a woman said to them suddenly. Wufei started, they'd hardly been in the town a few minutes and hadn't even dismounted. "What do you know of our problem?"

"Excuse me?" the chinese youth said icily. "I do not remember asking you for your opinion."

She nodded. "An oversight I am willing to forgive. Am I to believe you've come to help us?"

As Wufei spluttered incoherently Quatre nodded. "We've come to help. Who, I'm not sure. I sensed a great distress coming from this area."

"Then you must have come to help us. Follow me to the Inn, I'll see you get refreshments and stabling for your horses."

She turned and walked off. Wufei looked at Quatre. "Let's not."

"Wufei, we didn't go out of our way to get here just so you could take an unreasonable dislike to the people of this place and refuse to help."

Damm, he was right. Wufei slid off Shenlong's back and led his horse towards the Inn. Beside him, Quatre dismounted Sandrock and did the same.

The onna met them in the Inn where she'd chosen a table and already ordered for them. "Thank-you gentlemen. By the way, I'm Relena, the ruler of this city. I hope you'll forgive my presumption," she said. "But it really is important that you bring this monster to justice as quickly as possible."

"Monster?" Quatre asked.

"Oh yes. For as far back as we can remember the woods round here have been inhabited by a gorgon."

"That's terrible!" Quatre said. 

Wufei snorted.

They both looked at him. 

"Gorgon?" he said. "As in an onna with snakes for hair and that can turn people to statues by looking at them?"

"You've heard of her?"

"Yes. I don't see what the problem was." He took a bite of the food laid out and continued. "In fact, I'm surprised you don't have the town overflowing with heros queuing up to get a chance at the Gorgon's head. After all, it would make a powerful weapon."

"That's disgusting!" Quatre said. 

"What? The power to turn people into stone? I would think it would be pretty useful."

"No! Who would want to go around holding a disembodied head! That's gross!"

"As a matter of fact, we do get quite a few heroes going through." Relena sighed. "That's the problem. They don't come back."

"Oh."

"Please—you must get rid of this hideous monster. Before she claims more victims!" Her pretty eyes brimmed with tears. "I can't let what happened to Heero happen to another."

Quatre and Wufei looked at each other and gulped.

"Heero?"  
"Heero Yuy?"

"Yes," Relena blinked at them. "You know him?"

"How long ago did he come through here?"

"It wouldn't be more than a month ago . . . although it feels like years since I last saw him." She sniffed. "Poor Heero."

The two warriors exchanged glances. "What happened?"  
"He went out to face the Gorgon. He never returned." Relena burst into tears and sobbed prettily. "And I miss him so much!"

"You miss him?" Wufei asked, not sure if he'd misheard. 

"Oh yes. You see—We were in love." 

"Um, are you sure?" Quatre asked.

"Of course I'm sure!" Relena snapped. "What do you take me for? An idiot?"

Quatre elbowed Wufei before he could reply. "Wufei is just surprised. After all, we're colleagues of Heero's, and we've known him some time, and well, we never expected him to fall in love. It just doesn't seem very Heero-ish."

Wufei snorted. That was an understatement. He would sooner believe that Heero had voluntarily sawed his leg off than that he'd fall in love with this . . . um, female.

"I suppose this must be something of a shock for you," Relena said. "Oh my poor Heero! Please, say that you'll rid the woods of that poisonous creature!"

"There there," Quatre rubbed her back as she cried again. "Wufei and I will do what we can to help."

Wufei raised an eyebrow. They would?

The forest was still, quiet. All except for the plaintive echo of song that drifted through the cool night air. Creatures who heard it stopped a moment in respect—they recognised grief when they heard it.

In a tree above the clearing of statues, Trowa watched the surrounding forest warily. His heart ached for his companion's sorrow—but he knew the dangers of the gorgon's actions too well. 

He noted the sudden flight of a flock of birds from a distant clump of trees with concern. It could be nothing—a simple scare or a collective decision to roost. Or it may be a traveler—

With the agility of a squirrel Trowa swung himself down the tree, landing gracefully on the ground. "Duo, time to go."

The gorgon didn't stir.

"Duo? We need to go—"

"I haven't finished Trowa," the black robed youth said, back still to Trowa. He leaned against the statue of Heero, one arm looped around his cold shoulders. 

"It won't make any difference," Trowa said, taking hold of the gorgon's arm. "Come on—"

He was forced to release Duo's arm as the three snakes nearest him, hissed, all showing their fangs. 

Duo didn't seem to notice. "I have to—"

"It won't matter. Just this once—" Trowa knew how important the daily ritual was to Duo but he had to get his friend to shelter soon. 

"But Trowa! I haven't been through them all yet. How do you think they feel, all stuck like that—"

"We don't even know if they feel anything at all," Trowa said, moving forward so he could study the stubborn set of his friends face. "Even assuming they are aware of anything you do for them, I'm sure they won't mind if you miss them just this once. Now go." As the gorgon hesitated, Trowa played his last card. "Or would you willingly add to them?"

It was a low blow. Trowa regretted it as Duo's eyes brimmed with tears. "Fine. But I have to say good-bye to Heero."

Trowa nodded, and gave the gorgon the privacy in which to do so. It was a pity, he thought, that the humans who lived in the villages around them had never imagined this side of the gorgon. Duo visited his victims everyday, talking to them, singing to them, bringing them news and carefully clearing away moss and weeds from them. It was the only thing he could do to assuage his guilt. Trowa thought scornfully that he would be surprised if any of those human statues would have shown the gorgon the same mercy—any, except perhaps one.

Duo laid his head against Heero's unmoving chest. 

"Sorry isn't enough . . . I'd say it forever if it would bring you back . . . even if you hated me. I mean, you must hate me . . . look what I did to you. Oh, Heero . . ." Duo sighed, lowering his head as another of his tears ran down Heero's body. "I miss you. All the time. So bad, its not even funny. Trowa told me this will go in time, that I should let go . . . but I can't you know? You liked me, you said you wouldn't hurt me. Heero . . . you thought I was beautiful . . ." Duo wept. 

A few minutes later, his sobbing back under control, the gorgon pressed a kiss to the unfeeling lips in front of him before returning to the dark cave.

Trowa noted his departure with equal sorrow and relief. Climbing back into the tree he set out through the branches to find out the source of the bird's disturbance.

"Remind me again why we are running errands for a whining brat?"

"Because if something has happened to Heero, this is the only way we'll find out what it was." Quatre said. "That and she cried."

Wufei snorted. 

"The only reason I'm doing this," the black-haired warrior announced, "is to find out what monster could possibly be mean enough to take out Heero Yuy."

"Yes Wufei." Quatre sighed, then jumped. "What's that?"

A stone hand protruded from the bushes in front of us. Wufei pulled back the bushes to see a statue of a young man, a few years older than them, slenderly built and dressed in delicate finery. The expression on his face was one of mild surprise. 

Quatre and Wufei stared in silence.

"Who do you suppose he was?"

"He's not dressed like a warrior. I'd say a noble of some sort . . . although why a nobleman would be wandering around these woods—"

They stopped. 

A rustling in the leaves before them had alerted them to someone's arrival. Quatre and Wufei hastily scrambled for our shields.

"Damm," Wufei swore as his seemed to slip from his hands. Quatre yelped as he fell over.

"It's all right," an amused voice said. "I'm not a gorgon."

"How do we know that?" Wufei snapped, not looking up. 

"One, I don't have snakes for hair. Two, I'm a dryad. Will that do?"

The warrior gave him a cautious look. There were no snakes. "What do you mean, wandering around these woods, scaring people?" he demanded.

The dryad shrugged. "I thought I'd let you know you're in dangerous ground. I can take you back to the town in safety if you wish."

Wufei snorted. "I don't think so. We're here to seek the gorgon."

"I see," the green eyes of the dryad glittered nastily. "Well I'm afraid I can't help you there."

"Why not? You're a magical creature, you should be immune to the gorgon's attacks."

Quatre hastily stepped between the two. "Hi! Ignore Wufei, he makes a point of never using manners while on a mission." As the dryad blinked at him, he thrust out a hand. "I'm Quatre Raberba Winner! It's such a pleasure to meet you."

"Trowa." The dryad shook hands cautiously.

"Trowa—what an interesting name—"

"Winner! We are on a mission, not attending a banquet!" The blonde warrior was shoved aside by his companion who scowled. "You didn't answer my question before," he accused the forest spirit.

"It might just happen that I do not wish for you to find the gorgon."

"Oh, that's how it is, is it?" Wufei demanded. "The two of you work as a team to waylay innocent travelers? Step aside, justice is going to be done."

He pushed past the dryad to continue walking down the path.   
He didn't get far.

Brambles stretched out over the path in a thick wall, effectively blocking it. As Wufei watched, more branches joined the barrier. 

"I would strongly advise not proceeding," the dryad said. "There's a patch of stinging nettle not far away that I can use."

Wufei sulked. "Have you no honor? How can you shelter that venemous beast, knowing what she does?"

"The issue is not as clear cut as that," Trowa said. "You'd have to meet the gorgon to understand."

"How? I doubt you're going to let us past your brambles."

"There might be a way, if you were willing to surrender your weapons—"

Wufei threw a tantrum. "Put our weapons aside so you two have us at your complete mercy? I doubt it!"

"Then I guess you go no further in these woods," Trowa leant back against the tree impassively. 

Wufei glared at him then turned and stomped back down the path towards the village.

Trowa permitted himself a small smirk . . . before realizing that Quatre remained on the path. "Well?" he demanded.

The blond human blushed. "You know . . . I'm not currently seeing anyone!" he blurted out suddenly, before turning and running after Wufei.

He left one very startled wood-spirit behind him. Trowa continued to stare down the path a long time. That had been . . . weird.

By the time Quatre caught up with Wufei he was back at the Inn. Yelling at someone. Quatre sighed, heading up to his room at the inn to wait out the storm—only to come down again a minute later. 

"Wufei, what happened to our stuff? Everything in my room is gone!"

Wufei scowled at a harrassed looking Relena. "Apparently she decided we weren't coming back and decided to sell our stuff."

"Well it wasn't an unreasonable assumption—after all, no one has returned from facing the gorgon—not even Heero." The blonde's eyes filled with tears. "My poor Heero—"

Wufei swore as she began to cry. "I'm going to find Shenlong and Sandrock. You—do something to her!"

"Like what?" Quatre asked.

"I don't know—just make her stop crying!" Wufei stormed out of the room.

Quatre smiled after him. Poor Wufei, he thought. He can face a cyclops in battle without turning a hair, attack a force outnumbering his by 5 times as much without raising a sweat, but give him a crying person to comfort—and the poor guy ran like the wind. Shaking his head, the blond slipped an arm around Relena's shoulders, murmuring soothing things quietly. 

Some day Wufei would have to deal with emotions. Some day.

Quatre's eye fell upon a painting on the wall opposite and he started.

"Is something wrong?" Relena sniffed, dabbing at her eyes as he felt silent. "You don't think poorly of me do you, for being so weak? I know Heero would not approve—"

"Not that, nothing like that," Quatre said, hastily. "I was just startled by that painting there. The portrait—it looks familiar."

Indeed it did, although Quatre could not place just where he'd seen the finely featured blond youth before. 

"My brother, Milliardo," Relena explained. "He's away on business at the moment. I'm in charge of the city until he returns." She sniffed. "Dear Milliardo—he's been gone such a long time."

Quatre could only stare at the painting. Wufei has got to see this, he thought.

"They were looking for you," Trowa said, looking across the dimly lit cave.

Duo shrugged, busying himself with his stew. "Big surprise." The snakes, weaving through the air without direction were a good indication that his feelings weren't quite as set as he was trying to convince him.

Trowa sighed. Talking to Duo when he was in this sort of mood was next to impossible. Although usually easy going, the gorgon could be extremely stubborn. 

"Maybe we should move on—"

"NO!" Duo was on his feet instantly, "Trowa are you nuts? We can't leave this valley!"

Trowa just managed to catch the bowl of stew. "Why not? It's not safe here anymore. These warriors are coming more frequently—"

"Well, Relena couldn't keep them away for ever. What can I say, Trowa? News like me travels fast," the gorgon shrugged. Even if Trowa had known his friend so well, he wouldn't have been fooled by Duo's blasé attitude. The way his snakes were trying to twist themselves into knots also helped.

"We might be able to find somewhere more secluded—"

"To do that, we'd have to go through the populated areas. Even if we travelled at night, sooner or later someone would see us. And it wouldn't take long for people to twig. A trail of statues only means one thing, and then you're waking up to mobs with torches and those sharp pointy things, what are they called?"

"Pitchforks," Trowa said.

"Yeah. Those." Duo sighed. "A gorgon can't hide, Trowa. As dangerous as staying here is, its better than the alternative."

"How do you know that? Have you ever tried to leave?"  
"Trowa, how do you think I got here? I wasn't born here you know."

The dryad shrugged. This valley was where he'd met Duo, and the gorgon had never mentioned anywhere else. He pushed the bowl of stew towards the gorgon and said, "Tell me."

"I used to have a family, sisters and everything you know? We lived on this island. It was mostly deserted except for us. Then, there was a ship wreck. Sailors—well after the first couple got petrified, they agreed to wear blindfolds, and we said we'd help them find food, etc. They repaired their ship and went away. They came back with weapons."

Trowa sat beside Duo. "And?"

"What do you think? My mother and sisters they slaughtered out right. Me . . . I don't know why they didn't kill me. I guess because I'm a guy, and gorgons are supposed to be girls. I guess they thought I'd be more useful alive. But they slipped up somewhere along the way, and I managed to get away. Not that there was anywhere for me to go. I mean, most people don't take kindly to their relatives becoming garden ornaments, and well, the number of times I just managed to escape certain death on the end of a sword—well, its more than that water snake has stripes."

Trowa raised an eyebrow at the snake in question, now curling itself benignly around the gorgon's shoulders. "Where does Relena come into this?"

"I found my way into these woods, found the caves, figured they were a good place to stay awhile, and did so. While looking for food, I kind of . . . well, turned her horse into stone. She freaked a bit at first, but then told me she realized it wasn't my fault, and would be happy for me to stay on her and her brother's lands, in return for not going into the village and that she'd see to it I wasn't disturbed."

"She doesn't seem to be doing a pretty good job of keeping her end of the bargain. Those travelers I met today seemed to know where to find you—"

"Does it matter?" Duo said. "We stay. We have no choice." He stood, snakes casting twisting shadows on the wall behind him. "I am Death, Trowa. If staying here is my curse . . . so be it."

With that, he faded into the shadows. 

Trowa sighed. Duo had been every bit as difficult as he'd expected. However, he at least now knew why. Given what Duo had said of his past experiences outside the valley, Trowa thought it would not be easy to convince him to leave. Yet, something told him it was too dangerous to remain in the valley—

Pulling a sack towards him, he began to pack.

"There, Wufei. What do you think?"

The Chinese youth chewed his lip thoughtfully. "It does look familiar," he conceded. "Who did Relena say it was?"

"Her brother Milliardo, who's away on business."

"Hmm." Wufei said. "He hasn't happened to be away on business an awfully long time, has he?"

"As a matter of fact, an extremely long time," Quatre said. "The villagers would be concerned if it wasn't for the fact that he occasionally sends his sister scrolls from abroad."

"He sends scrolls from abroad?" Wufei said. "That must be extremely hard to do when you're a statue in the middle of a forest not an hour's walk from your village."

"Hah! I knew there was something familiar about him!" Quatre thumped Wufei on the back in triumph. "I knew your memory would work it out!"

"You're welcome," Wufei said, disentangling himself. "And just for the record—"

"Yes?" Quatre paused mid-celebration.

"I told you so," Wufei said smugly. "I knew that onna was trouble."

"I guess you were right on this one. That doesn't alter the fact that there is someone in this district—"

"In dire need of our help, I know. Do you have my sleeping potion? I'd like to go to bed now."

Quatre nodded, finding the vial among his belongings and handing it to Wufei. "Here you go. What do you want to do tomorrow?"

"What do you think? Track down this gorgon. No treacherous nymph is going to stop this warrior from righting wrong."

"Dryad," Quatre said sleepily.

"What?" Wufei snapped.  
"Trowa's a dryad, not a nymph. I think he's quite nice, actually." Quatre smiled.

"You would," Wufei muttered shortly. "Oh, and Quatre?"

"Yes Wufei?"

"Don't tell Relena we're going out tomorrow. In fact, let's leave before she wakes up."

"Yes Wufei."

The black haired warrior sat back. After a moment he reached for his blade and began to polish it. The gorgon had eluded them once.

It would not be so fortunate twice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tbc.


	3. Three

****

BEAUTIFUL

part three.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sunlight fell on the early morning forest, still and clear. The nightly dew had not quite faded, and sparkled brightly beneath the trees in which birds sang the morning chorus—to fall silent before a chorus of a different type.

Quatre grabbed Wufei's arm. "Do you hear that?"

"The gorgon," the black haired warrior replied impassively. "Singing to lure her victims to her. How typical."

"Isn't that sirens?" his blond companion asked.

Wufei shrugged. "They're monsters. Same difference." He drew his sword. "Come on, let's—"

"Wait—" Quatre put his hand on his companion's shoulder. "Listen, Wufei."

"What?" the black haired warrior demanded impatiently. "That's not human, and it's definitely not animal. We've established it's the gorgon—so let's get it!"

"Listen with your heart. See? Can't you feel that sadness?"

Wufei had to admit the song carried with it a mournfulness almost as striking as its unearthly quality. "Don't tell me you're starting to feel sorry for it, Winner!"

"Why not? We shouldn't be so ready to just jump in swords drawn—"

"Exactly."

They both jumped, neither having heard the dryad arrive. Quatre promptly turned pink. "Trowa! Fancy meeting you here!"

"Oh please," Wufei sighed, covering his face in his hands as his companion continued.

"I was just thinking how nice it would be if we happened to run into you—and we did!"

"Yes," the dryad replied in a bemused tone, not sure why Quatre was looking at him so expectantly. "You did."

Awkward silence.

"I take it," the dryad said eventually, looking at the sword in Wufei's hands, "you're not here to gather daisies."

Quatre hid a smile as Wufei lost his temper. 

"You cannot stop us! We have a mission to fulfil—finding Heero and avenging him if necessary—"

"You know Heero?"

"Know?" Quatre said eagerly, relieved at the use of the present tense. "So, he's still alive?"

"That depends," the dryad said. "On how you define alive."

"You mean he is—the gorgon really—" Quatre's face was a picture of shock, even as Wufei clenched his fists. 

"The she-monster will pay for this!"

"That's the first point on which you're wrong. And second, Heero getting turned to stone was an accident."

"An accident?" Wufei said dubiously.

"Yes."

"People do not get turned into statues accidentally! Injustice! It's sort of too late to say sorry to someone who's—" Wufei continued at length.

After the first few minutes of Wufei's rant, Trowa became aware that Quatre was staring at him. "Yes?"

Quatre blushed. "You know . . . green is my absolute favourite colour."

Trowa blinked. "It is?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

They looked at each other. Quatre's expression was still hopeful.

Various bits and pieces spun around and eventually went clink in Trowa's mind.

"You're hoping that I'm going to ask you out, aren't you?" the dryad said.

Quatre squealed. "Oh, Trowa, I'd love to! Where do you want to go?"

"Um . . ." The dryad was concerned. Somewhere along the way something had gone wrong. "Well actually I, uh, wasn't really—I didn't mean to—"

"Yes?" Quatre blinked at him. 

"There's a really nice oak tree by here. We could watch the sunset from it, or something."

"Sounds wonderful!"

They looked at each other again and both blushed. 

"So—"

"Uh—"

Awkward silence. It took them a few moments to work out something was wrong with that.

"Wait a minute," Trowa said, looking around the clearing. "Where's your companion?"

"Wufei?" Quatre said, also looking round. "I didn't notice him leave, I—oh no!"

The gorgon's song had abruptly halted, mid stanza.

"Duo!" Trowa took off into the trees immediately. 

One determined blond knight followed him on foot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Duo was, as usual, lost in song. 

True, it was painful to walk among such concrete, if you will, evidence of his failures. But singing—it was as if the gods had thought, oh, there goes the gorgon Duo. Maybe we overdid the ugliness a little—I know, why don't we compensate the poor brat by giving him a voice that's gorgeous beyond belief? That was Duo's private theory. Trowa said Duo's voice was a reflection of his heart and soul and the beauty therein—but Trowa would say that.

However, singing to his . . . reluctant guests did bring him a measure of peace.

Duo sighed, cutting off the song. 

"What's the use? I mean, if I could bring them back by singing, I'd have done so ages ago!"

The cobra hissed in his ear. Duo straightened. Someone there? He usually heard them before now—but his snakes wouldn't lie.

"Hello? Who's there?" 

There was no answer. The rest of the snakes uncurled and began searching the surrounding clearing for any signs of the intruder. 

"We know you're there," Duo said, as the water snake told him of a large heat signature behind the statue of the girl with weird eyebrows. "You can stop hiding behind Dorothy."

Wufei silently distanced himself from the stone onna with as much dignity as he could muster. "You're not what I expected the gorgon to be like."

The monster stayed where he was, back towards Wufei. "I'm sorry I can't turn around and say hi. That tends to have unfortunate consequences."

"Don't play games with me!" Wufei snapped. "I've come to finish your reign of terror."

When warriors said that they tended to mean just one thing. Perhaps—perhaps it was meant to be. After all, he couldn't turn more people to stone if he was dead, could he? Trowa wouldn't like it—but Trowa wasn't here.

"Fine. Get it over with."

Wufei paused. "What?"

"Get it over with. Kill me—I assume you do have a sword or something."

"Yes—"

"Well, they're not too hard to use, are they? In fact, I'll make this even easier for you—make sure you take my head off. Otherwise I tend to regenerate given time. It's something to do with having reptile blood."

"You want me to kill you?"

"Yes."

Wufei's eyes narrowed.

"Ow!" Duo yelped as he stumbled backwards, Wufei having grabbed a handful of his snakes. "Careful, those are attached, you know!" He gasped as he felt Wufei's sword against his throat.

"What's the trick?" the dark haired warrior demanded. "Tell me, monster!"

"No trick!" Duo protested, as his snakes hissed and tried to twist out of Wufei's grasp. "I happen to be as sick of this as you are—and I can't think of a better way to stop this!"

"You're giving up?" Wufei shoved Duo away so that he fell. "I must say, I'm disappointed. I never expected the monster responsible for Heero's undoing to be so weak."

He had to step back as five of the gorgon's snakes suddenly lunged at him, fangs out.

"Leave Heero out of this!"

Wufei blinked. 

The gorgon stood, carefully keeping his back to Wufei. "Follow me. I don't want to be killed here." When his snakes continued to hiss at Wufei he pulled at them sharply. "You lot—behave! Come on."

Wufei wondered what he was doing following the gorgon through the stone statues. Then they turned a corner and—"Heero!"  
Wufei stared. His friend was indeed a statue—part of him hadn't believed that this was possible. Not the infallible Heero Yuy—"You have just sealed your fate, gorgon. There is no way I'm letting you walk away from this."

"Good." The gorgon stretched out a hand to trace Heero's still cheek then sighed.

"Let's get this over with, shall we?"

Wufei watched as the gorgon knelt. She was taking this extremely well for an onna—"Wait a minute! You're a guy!"

"Why does everyone have to sound so surprised about it?"

"Well . . . it is kind of unexpected. I mean, aren't gorgons usually—"

"Okay, so we've established I'm a guy! That doesn't mean I'm not a monster! Just hurry up and kill me, okay, or I'll lose my temper!"

"Fine." Wufei drew his sword, muttering something about ungrateful monsters who thought he had nothing better to do than stand around all day to kill them—before realising what he was saying. He raised his sword.

"No! Duo!"

Wufei had only a moment of warning before a clump of vines descended on him, wrapping themselves around his sword arm. "Let me go!"

"Duo, are you okay?" Trowa knelt by his friend, anxiously scanning him for injury, and hugging him when none was immediately apparent. "Good. Let's get you out of here—"

"Trowa—I don't want to go."

"What?" Trowa stared at his friend, horrified. "But you can't mean—Duo, he'll kill you!"

"Yes." The snakes settled around Duo's shoulders patiently, tongues flicking in and out. Trowa measured the determination in his friend's face and was appalled. 

"Duo—you can't—no, I won't let you throw your life away like this!"

"Better mine than theirs." Duo waved a hand at the statues. 

"No. You can't show them so little courtesy, Duo—after all, would you dishonour their condition by just giving up?"

"I don't care! I'm sick of killing everything I care about! The moment I get close to anyone it's like they're living under a death sentence! Sooner or later, I'm going to slip and then—wham! Another statue to add to the collection! I'm sick of it, Trowa! Sick of it! I can't stand being this alone!" The gorgon's voice was tinged with hysteria.

"You're not alone!" the dryad protested, the snakes adding their agreement. "You've got me. I won't leave you."

"Trowa—a friend isn't enough anymore. I need—closeness. To be loved. Heero—"

The dryad held his friend as tears ran down his face.

Wufei struggled with the vines. "A little help here would be greatly appreciated!"

He was ignored. 

"Trowa—please, let me do this. I've tried for so long, and there's just no point anymore—"

"Duo," the dryad whispered, running his hand through the gorgon's snakes. "Don't say that. It will be okay—everything will be fine—"

"No, Trowa! It's not fine, and it never will be and you know why? Because I'm a monster! Look at me! Monster!" Duo pulled away from his friend. "I'm hideous—death to those who look at me, a blight on my friends—not that I even deserve to have friends—"

"Enough of that sort of talk." A hand slipped around Duo's shoulders. "Heero did not think you were a monster—and while Heero would appreciate the strength and sincerity of your feelings, he would not approve of your choice. He wouldn't want you to give up—not when there's a chance the stone spell could be lifted."

Trowa stared at Quatre. The blond smiled at him as he calmly sat down beside Duo. 

"Lifted?" the gorgon asked, carefully not looking at Quatre.

Quatre nodded. "My name's Quatre. I think we need to have a good long talk, Duo. Trowa, you wouldn't mind helping get Wufei out of the tangle that he's in?"

Trowa nodded, leaving them.

"How d'you know what Heero would think anyway?" Duo asked, scrubbing at his tear splotched face. "You empathic or something?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, in a very limited way. I can sense strong emotions—for example, I felt your sorrow while we were travelling and convinced Wufei we should seek out its source in order to help."

"Bet you weren't expecting to find this." The gorgon gestured around the clearing. 

"No, not really," Quatre conceded. "But the more I think about it, the more I realise how hard your life has been. I mean, I thought Wufei had problems making friends—"

"But I turned your friend into stone. You should hate me."

"I don't. I know it wasn't your fault—as you would if you could manage to see past your sorrow."

Quatre was suddenly eye to eye with a handful of startled snakes. "What?"

"Empath, remember?" Quatre rubbed Duo's back. "From what I've seen in your thoughts and memories, you never intended to harm Heero—you and Trowa even helped heal him after he fell off Wing—"

"An accident I caused, by the way."

"Hey," Quatre said. "Did you wake up that morning and think, hmm, how shall I wreak chaos and confusion in the world today? I know, I'll just go and stand in the woods on the off chance that someone will go by that I can petrify, did you?"

"No," Duo conceded. "But it's still my fault."

"How is it your fault?"

"I should have been more careful. I could have worn a cloak or something, hell, I probably shouldn't even have left the cave—"

"Duo, no matter what precautions you take, you can't prepare for every eventuality," Quatre said. "But we can sit here and argue over whose fault it was, or we can concentrate on getting Heero turned back. I favour the latter, after all, you and Heero can argue over this all you like once he's himself again—"

"Turn him back? You really think that's possible?"

"It's worth a try. I bet you haven't really tried before."

"I guess not. When everyone who looks me in the eyes becomes a statue, you just tend to accept it after awhile." Duo sniffed. "So, how do we start this?"

"Well, I guess the Oracle is as good a place as any . . ." Quatre said. 

"The Oracle? Well, okay then. I guess I should let Trowa know we'll be going on a trip."

"We'll come too," Quatre said, smiling at Duo. "After all, Heero is our friend and—" A sudden look of horror crossed his face. "Oh—"

"And?" Duo questioned before realising. "Oh no—Quatre? Quatre!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You told the vines to hold me back. Surely you must be able to tell them to stop it and let me go!" Wufei snapped at Trowa.

The dryad smiled. "Yes, but this way is more amusing. Besides, we need to talk."

"About what?" Wufei snarled, struggling with a particularly nasty vine wound around his leg.

"Well, your friend seems to have decided that the person you are here to help is Duo," Trowa observed, stepping back at the resulting temper tantrum. 

"We are not going to help a monster! Particularly not a monster who turned Heero Yuy into stone! Even accidentally!"

"I think Quatre's decided otherwise," Trowa noted with a smirk. Wufei looked at his friend, sitting with his arm around the gorgon, and groaned. 

"Just great—"

"Tell me," Trowa said suddenly. "When a human goes out on a date, say, hypothetically, to an oak tree, what do they wear? Just generally speaking."

Wufei thought about it. "Is that a trick question?"

Trowa shrugged. "I was just wondering—"

"Quatre? Quatre!" Duo's shout got both their attention. "Quatre!"

"Oh, hell—" Wufei pulled himself free of the vines and raced over to Quatre—well, the Quatre shaped statue. "No—"

"I didn't mean to—" the gorgon said miserably. "He smiled at me and I forgot—"

"Quatre," Wufei whispered running a hand down his friend's cold face. His hand tightened into a fist. "Okay, that is it!" Duo yelped as Wufei threw himself at him. "No-one turns Quatre into a statue and gets away with it! Eat my fist, snake-boy!"

"Ow! That hurt! And it was an accident, for crying out loud, you moronic knight! Take that!"

"Injustice! Take that!"

"Bite him, girls!"

"Ow, no fair! Snakes aren't allowed!"

"Then stop pulling on them! Take that!"

"Not the hair! Let go, monster!"

Trowa watched, concerned at first, but growing gradually more and more amused as the fight, if indeed anything mostly consisting of hair pulling could be called a fight, continued. Noting the large amount of bites Wufei was receiving, he headed back to the cave to retrieve the anti-venom. 

When he came back, Duo and Wufei were still attempting to strangle each other. 

"Hideous monster!"

"Speciesist jerk!"

"While I hate to interrupt such a witty repartee, I must insist you two stop brawling like three year olds, okay?" Trowa said, encouraging the vines to pull the two apart. "You can settle this afterwards."

"He started it," Duo sulked. 

Wufei would have replied, if he'd been able to. "Suddenly I don't feel so good."

"That would be the venom. Duo, which snakes bit him?"

"I don't know. I haven't got any control over what they do."

Trowa sighed. "Okay, ladies—which of you bit Wufei?"

After a few seconds of flicking their tongues in and out, the grass snake, the rattle snake, and the little brown one no one had really been able to identify owned up to having bitten the warrior.

"That's easy. We have the antidotes to those bites right here. Duo, give me a hand, please."

Wufei sullenly let them treat him. He'd considered protesting but there didn't seem to be much point—after all, they had more experience with snake venom than he did.

"You're lucky the water snake didn't bite you," Duo said conversationally, as he tied off the bandages. "Trowa was sick for a week after that bite, even with anti-venom. Hell, even I had headaches after I sat on her and she bit me once, and I'm pretty resistant to poisons."

Wufei processed this information. "You get bitten by your own snakes?"

"Come on, it's not like they listen to me." Duo handed the anti-venom back to Trowa. "There. All done! Now you'll be fine providing you don't make any sudden movements for the next little bit."

Wufei sulked. "Thanks a lot."

"None of this would have happened," Trowa said, "if you hadn't attacked a snake-haired monster with the ability to turn people into stone."

He stressed those last words. There was a pause as Wufei and Duo considered what he'd said. 

"Hey—wait a minute! He hasn't turned into a statue!"

"Injust—wait—"

"What's with that?" Duo stuck his hands on his hips. "The only things immune to my spell are monsters, and from the way you've been acting, you don't seem to be a monster. What gives?"

"How should I know? As far as I know—" Wufei groaned. "Oh, the curse."

"Curse?" Trowa asked.

"I'm cursed," Wufei said. "I suppose, the strength of the curse might be enough to negate the effects of a spell like the gorgon's. I don't think anything like this has been covered in the scrolls, but it is possible."

"A curse?" Duo asked. "What did you do?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Wufei yelled. And then felt very ill. "Oh . . ."

"No sudden movements," Trowa reminded him. "Hang on. I think I—" the dryad disappeared into the undergrowth. Wufei and Duo waited silently for him to return.

"So, this curse of yours must be pretty strong to dispel a gorgon's spell, so I guess you must have really really irritated someone—"

"Shut up!"

It was fortunate that Trowa returned then. 

"Stop it you two, we need to get in the trees quick. A big party of humans are coming this way—with Relena."

"Relena? Then what's the problem?" Duo said. "She's our friend."

"That would depend," Wufei said, as Duo and Trowa carefully lifted him up into the tree, "on your definition of friend."

"What do you mean?" Duo asked. 

"If friend includes someone who leads a mob of people with pitchforks and torches into your woods, then yes, Relena is our friend," Trowa said. "Come on Duo—"

The gorgon allowed himself to be pulled into the tree, seemingly in shock at what he'd heard. 

Trowa carefully instructed the leaves of the tree they were in to bunch around them, screening them from view. The tread of the crowd was already audible.

"Right, we're here. Now, no dawdling please. I want you all to start loading the statues into the wagons—as quickly as possible."

"What's she doing?" Wufei asked and got hissed at.

"Be quiet," Trowa told him. "I don't like the look of those pitchforks they're carrying."

Duo was silent, watching grimly as the statues were carried away. Wufei noted the knuckles of the hand holding onto the branch were white.

"Lady Relena—what about the gorgon? What if she shows up and we get turned to stone?"

"Oh, don't worry about the gorgon. Duo is more likely to be trying not to turn us into stone," Relena smirked. "Besides, he's no match for our force. After all, every warrior who has come into the woods to hunt him I enchanted with a bad luck charm. Duo wouldn't know how to face hardened warriors." Relena paused in front of the statue Wufei had concealed himself behind earlier. "A little sorcery is a wonderful thing. I really should have thanked Dorothy before I had her petrified."

"What do you think you're doing?" Trowa asked suddenly. 

Wufei looked up and saw Duo tensed as if to jump.

"What do you think? I'm going to show my so-called friend what I think of being used!" Duo's snakes hissed, baring their fangs.

"Not likely!" Trowa said, grabbing his hand. "You'll be killed!"

"Yeah, well, I'm not letting her take Heero away!"

"I'm not about to let her do—whatever it is she is going to do—to Quatre either," Wufei said, drawing his sword. And immediately feeling ill.

"Neither of you two is in a position to fight!" Trowa snapped. "Look, I'm not exactly thrilled with this either, but you must see that this is no place for the pair of you!"

"So what do you propose we do?" Wufei snapped. "Sit back while they take our friends away for no doubt nefarious purposes?"

"No," Trowa said. "You two will go, see if you can't find some way to bring these two back from stone. In the mean time I'll make sure that Heero and Quatre do not leave this forest."

Duo and Wufei looked at each other. The thought 'I have to work with him?' was uppermost in both of their minds. Also present was the realisation, however reluctant, that they had no other choice.

"On the count of three, I'll get the tree to let us down. Then you two get out of the forest as quickly as possible while I handle things at this end."

Duo and Wufei nodded. "Take care, Trowa."

"Be well, Duo. One—two—three!"

The tree dumped them abruptly. Wufei, still not over the effects of the poison, stumbled, but Duo caught him round the waist. Without a word, they plunged into the forest. Behind them they heard shouts as the nearby bushes and plants began to attack Relena's party. 

In the tree, Trowa allowed himself to smirk as Relena slipped into a patch of poison ivy. Well, someone had to pay for ruining his first date.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

tbc.


	4. four

BEAUTIFUL.  
  
part four.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We've got the dryad, Miss Relena."  
  
"Excellent."  
  
Trowa shut his eyes in humiliation. He could do nothing else--the four humans that had caught him had him tied up so tightly his eyes were almost all he could move. He heard the swish of Relena's skirts as the human approached him.  
  
"Well, Trowa, you're looking well."  
  
At that Trowa did look up. "You--twisted she-demon! Duo trusted you!"  
  
"Ah yes, and tell me, where is my friend?" Relena smiled prettily. "We have a lot of catching up to do."  
  
Trowa was silent, fuming. It was bad enough to be captured by humans--no matter how many. Even worse, they'd threatened to fire the forest. But worse still was the fact that he'd been caught by Relena. To think they'd trusted her so blindly--  
  
"Not talkative? Oh well," Relena sighed, beckoning to one of her followers.  
  
"What are you doing?" Trowa asked as he was pushed forward onto his knees.  
  
"If you won't tell us where Duo is, we'll just have to convince him to show himself," Relena shrugged. "Oh, Duo! If you don't want your friend here to lose his head, show yourself now."  
  
Trowa watched as one of the soldiers drew his weapon. "That won't work, you know."  
  
"Oh, hush." Relena settled back to wait. "Duo? I'm not kidding! Come out now or--"  
  
The guard raised his sword.  
  
Still nothing happened.  
  
"Dear me, I thought Duo was more attached to you than this," Relena said, walking back to Trowa. "I hope you two haven't had a falling out."  
  
"Duo's too smart for your poisonous ways," Trowa spat at her. "Even if he was here he wouldn't--"  
  
Too late he realized what he'd said.  
  
"Oh?" Relena paused beside him. "If he was here?"  
  
The dryad was silent.  
  
"Pull him back up," Relena said. "Now Trowa--" A knife was pressed to his throat. "Might I suggest that you continue that oh so interesting little sentence?"  
  
Trowa flicked his eyes disdainfully away from the knife and stayed silent.  
  
Relena sighed. "Well, I wasn't really expecting that to work." She pulled the knife away from his throat. "Fire the woods," she ordered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Fire the woods," Relena repeated.  
  
Trowa watched in horror as the torches were lit. To a wood spirit nothing was more terrible than fire. Just the thought of that destructive force ripping through the forest, tearing at bright new growth and ancient tree alike, the pain of searing branches--  
  
"No! Stop! Don't do it!"  
  
Her back to Trowa, Relena smiled. Magical creatures could be irritating-- but they all had a weak spot. "Set the fires now!"  
  
"NO! Stop! I'll tell you, just stop! Please!"  
  
"Halt," Relena ordered, before walking back to Trowa. The dryad had sweat running down his face--interesting, she had no idea fire affected them this much. "You were saying?"  
  
Trowa took a deep breath. Duo--forgive me. "He left, when you first arrived. He's gone to find a way to reverse the stone spell."  
  
"Reverse the spell--is that possible?" Relena asked, stepping closer to Trowa.  
  
The dryad shrugged. "I don't know, but he's certainly going to try."  
  
"Why would he want to reverse the spell now?" Relena wondered. When Trowa was not forthcoming with answers, she sighed. "Come now, you don't really want me to have to burn this pretty forest down around our ears, do you?"  
  
"He wants to bring Heero back."  
  
"Heero? How amusing," Relena smiled. "But I'm afraid I can't allow that. Where exactly has he gone?"  
  
"I don't know," Trowa admitted. "All I know is that he intended to find a way to bring the statues back."  
  
Relena toyed with the blade she held absently before shrugging. "I suppose that'll do. After all, a gorgon can't get far without leaving a trail." She turned to the guards. "Put him in the holding cage attached to the rear wagon and bring him with us."  
  
"What are you going to do with me?" Trowa asked, struggling against his bonds without much success.  
  
"What do you think? We need a hostage for when we catch up with our friend Duo." Relena waved as he was carried away. "See you later, Trowa!"  
  
She turned back to watching the statues being carried one by one into the wagons. She so enjoyed it when things went her way.  
  
True, she didn't exactly have Duo in her possession yet--but a gorgon could not get far.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wufei?"  
  
The warrior scowled, not bothering to turn back to his companion. "What is it now?"  
  
"Could we not stop and take a break? Just a little one?"  
  
"We should try and put as much distance between ourselves and the evil onna as quickly as possible."  
  
"I know," Duo sighed. "But my feet hurt and my snakes are killing me. Not to mention we've been running for like, forever. Besides, we should really wait till after dark to travel."  
  
"Why do we need to wait?" Wufei asked.  
  
The gorgon sighed. "You might want to move away from that tree."  
  
Wufei jumped out of the way as a stone bird fell from the branches and nearly hit him. "Can't you turn that thing off?"  
  
Duo's snakes hissed in annoyance. "Believe me, I've tried. Come on, Wu, we need to decide where we're headed."  
  
"You mean you don't know?" Wufei glared at his companion.  
  
"Think about it! Don't you think if I'd known there was a way of returning the statues to their regular selves, I'd have done so before now?"  
  
"I find it hard to believe a monster like you has any concern for his victims," Wufei said coldly. "However, if it will help bring Quatre back, I will work with you on this quest."  
  
The snakes narrowed their eyes at Wufei, flicking their tongues in and out at him. Duo just glared at him. "Well, no-one asked you to help! Geez, what bit you?"  
  
"Apart from your snakes?" Wufei abruptly decided that if they were to be effective partners they should establish a basis for the partnership that was at least somewhat equitable. He sat down. "A rest might not be a bad thing."  
  
Duo just looked at him a while but then his tiredness won out and he too sat down. "Quatre did mention something about an oracle. Ring any bells?"  
  
The human groaned. "Not the Oracle! I hate the Oracle!"  
  
"Mind explaining to me who or what this Oracle is?" Duo said, stretching back and relishing the feeling of being able to rest his limbs.  
  
"Don't tell me you've never heard of the Oracle of Delphi?" Wufei said scornfully.  
  
"Oh, the Oracle of Delphi. As in the Oracle that is at Delphi. As opposed to Oracles that are anywhere else. Ah, now I've got you."  
  
Wufei smirked. "You don't have a clue what the Oracle is, do you?"  
  
"No," Duo admitted.  
  
"Well, given your limited travel and interaction with people, I'd say that's not so surprising," Wufei mused. "The Oracle is a person, chosen to be the voice of the god Apollo and who delivers prophecies in riddle form to the visitors to the shrine."  
  
"And he can help us?"  
  
"If we are lucky, she will."  
  
"She?" questioned Duo.  
  
Wufei made an annoyed sound. "I've visited the Oracle before. It's a she--a very annoying onna in fact."  
  
"Worse then Relena?"  
  
"Yes. No. Possibly," Wufei said dubiously.  
  
"Possibly?" Duo looked dismayed. "And I thought Trowa was getting the hard job."  
  
"I'm sure he'll be fine. Dryads are normally pretty resilient, they take a lot to bring down," Wufei said absently.  
  
Duo looked at him. "Wufei . . . you're a monster hunter, aren't you? Like Heero--"  
  
"And Quatre--what? Why are you looking at me like that for?"  
  
"No reason. I was just thinking that explains why you dislike me so much. Though I don't get why you humans hate us monsters so much--"  
  
"Well, let me think. Hmm, maybe it's the fact that a lot of monsters eat humans? Or try to trick them like the sphinxes? Steal their wives like centaurs? Even turn them to sto--"  
  
"You've made your point! And okay, so the Sphinx is just twisted, and everyone agrees the centaurs are jerks when they've had too much to drink, but what about the rest of us? Just being a monster is enough to get you killed, no matter whether you're a nymph who doesn't know how to fight and wouldn't harm a flea, or a dryad whose only interest is in protecting their forest? None of us asked to be monsters, you know. We've got just as much right to live as you humans! Instead, some of us are far on the track to becoming endangered species!"  
  
The water snake interrupted his tirade by bumping against the side of his face and hissing. "I guess you're right," Duo said, patting the snake's head. "Well, Wufei, it's dark. Want to continue?"  
  
"Of course." The warrior stood and they continued.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Travelling at night had at least as many bad points as good points.  
  
"Maybe we should wait until morning to continue," Duo said as he and Wufei pulled themselves out of another ditch.  
  
"Maybe," Wufei snorted. "Whose idea was it to follow the main road?"  
  
"Yours."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"There are some trees over here. Hopefully we're back in the woods. You want to crash here and call it a night?"  
  
"I suppose we have no choice," Wufei sighed, following Duo.  
  
Duo noted Wufei's reluctance. "We can get up really early in the morning."  
  
"Yes." Wufei lay back and eyed the night stars with gloom.  
  
"Cheer up already, Wu. We'll find a way to get Heero and Quatre back."  
  
"And we'll get them back a lot sooner if you'd let me get to sleep."  
  
"Fine. Geez, come on girls. We'll just settle down over here, away from Mister Grouch. Man, what I wouldn't do for a pillow--"  
  
Wufei listened as the gorgon's grumbling died away into peaceful breathing. A few minutes later the snakes also quietened down. Relatively speaking.  
  
Wufei sighed. Apparently one of Duo's snakes snored.  
  
I bet it's the water snake, he thought, settling back.  
  
He took a moment to still his breathing, summoning the discipline that his teachers had given him. Calm and peace flooded filled his mind.  
  
Calm and peace.  
  
Wufei repeated the words like a mantra as he allowed himself to slip into sleep.  
  
Peace and calm--  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
A harsh scream ripped the air. A hand clutched at his tunic.  
  
"Help me! Help me!"  
  
Wufei flinched, keeping his eyes closed. "Peace and calm," he repeated. "Peace--"  
  
"Wufei! Wufei, I'm dying!"  
  
More voices, twisted in agony. "Wufei! Help--"  
  
"Don't leave us! You're our only hope!"  
  
"You betrayed us!"  
  
"Peace and calm," Wufei continued in a voice not far away from a sob. "Peace and calm, peace and calm--"  
  
The familiar sound of mourning rose, along with new shouts.  
  
"Where were you? You failed to protect your clan--"  
  
"Call yourself a warrior no more, weakling! You are now cast out of this clan."  
  
"Why, Wufei? Why'd you leave us to burn and die--"  
  
"I did not! You're not real--I'm imagining all of this--leave me!" Wufei yelled. "Peace and calm--"  
  
"Traitor!"  
  
"Murderer!"  
  
Wufei flinched as a hand gripped his arm. Not real, it was not real, not real--  
  
"See Wufei? Even now the village burns--"  
  
The scent of smoke was sharp and acrid and strong--  
  
Wufei opened his eyes.  
  
As the voice said, his village still burned. His family's house stood before him, the flag that once proudly displayed his house's symbol, consumed by sharp flames, even as dark smoke flowed from his house. A fallen wall had crumbled onto the path. From beneath it a pale hand extended.  
  
Wufei stared at it in horror.  
  
"No--"  
  
A heavy hand fell on his shoulder holding him still so he could not turn away. "Look upon your handiwork, little dragon. To think that a pupil of mine could have unleashed such a fate on his own people--"  
  
"No! Master O--" Wufei managed to pull away from his teacher and spun around to deny the accusations--only to stop in terror.  
  
Master O sneered at him, through lips only barely attached to the bare bone beneath them. "What, warrior, do you fear to look on what you have done?" He reached towards Wufei with a hand blistered and raw, the tendons bared. The smell of burnt flesh reached Wufei's nose and he screamed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wufei? Wufei, wake up!"  
  
"No--no! Stop, don't touch me! Leave me alone!"  
  
"Wufei!"  
  
Wufei opened his eyes. He looked in to one pair of worried violet eyes, and nine pairs of snaky eyes. He screamed.  
  
Duo sighed. "Geez, is it something about me?" He slapped him.  
  
"Ow!" Wufei put a hand to his stinging cheek. "You hit me!"  
  
"I'll do it again, if I have to!" Duo said.  
  
"Why did you hit me?" Wufei said.  
  
"You were getting hysterical, and I was always told that when people get hysterical you slap them."  
  
"Oh," Wufei took his hand away from his cheek. He was calmer. The real pain of the slap had dispelled the fragments of memory that still haunted him. "You have a good right hand."  
  
"Thanks. Are you feeling better? Because I can hit you again if you want."  
  
"I feel better," Wufei said.  
  
"Are you sure? Because it's no big deal. I mean, I don't mind hitting you-- "  
  
"Duo, I'm fine." Wufei wiped his forehead. His hand still trembled slightly.  
  
Duo's hand lightly brushed his face. "You sure? What happened anyway?"  
  
Wufei sighed. "A dream."  
  
"Must have been some dream." Wufei heard the gorgon sit beside him. "Want to tell me about it?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Figures. Tell me anyway? It might make you feel better."  
  
Wufei sighed. "It's my curse. Every night when I dream I see my clan being destroyed, my home burnt before my eyes."  
  
"Wow," Duo whispered. "Every night?"  
  
"I haven't slept naturally for three years. The only time I get a decent sleep is when Quatre makes me a sleeping draught."  
  
"That's terrible. Are you sure there isn't something you can do to get rid of them?"  
  
"It's a curse," Wufei said bitterly. "The Furies themselves created it. It's not exactly easy to get rid of."  
  
Duo swore. His snakes hissed in surprise. Or maybe they were just tired. It's hard to tell with snakes. "The Furies?"  
  
"Yes," Wufei's head was beginning to hurt.  
  
"The female spirits in charge of vengeance and justice and stuff like that?"  
  
"How many Furies are there?" Wufei snapped.  
  
"Just asking," Duo sighed. "How on earth did you get the Furies after you? They never give up--not until they get what they want--"  
  
"I know! That's exactly what the Oracle said--"  
  
"The Oracle?"  
  
Wufei sighed. "When this first . . . happened, I went to find the Oracle to ask if there was a way I could lift the curse."  
  
"So that's how you knew the Oracle was a girl," Duo said. "What did she say?"  
  
"She said," Wufei said with bitterness, "that the curse would never be lifted." He snorted. "I am fated to suffer this until I die." He snorted. "Or until I willingly risk my life to help a monster. But that will never happen."  
  
"Why not?" Duo asked. "You're helping me."  
  
"Only to help Quatre," Wufei said. "I will never help a monster. I am a monster hunter, remember? Besides, it was a monster who was the reason for the curse anyway."  
  
"A monster? What happened?"  
  
"None of your business," Wufei snapped. "Go back to sleep."  
  
"I only want to help--"  
  
"Well, I don't need your help."  
  
"Well I don't need your help, he says. Geez, I'm beginning to think he doesn't like me. Hah!"  
  
Wufei waited patiently for Duo to talk himself out. "Ow!"  
  
There was a sharp sting on his forearm. "What the--your snakes bit me!"  
  
"Only one of them did, the little brown one. Don't worry; its venom isn't very powerful."  
  
"Oh that's a great relief--" Wufei started, breaking off as his head began to swim. "Duo, I don't feel--"  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Wufei opened his eyes.  
  
The sunlight was so bright that for a moment he couldn't work out where he was. He sat up cautiously.  
  
Duo was still asleep next to him, sprawled untidily on the ground. His snakes were spread out around him. Most were still asleep, although a couple watched Wufei warily.  
  
It was creepy, knowing that even when Duo was asleep his snakes weren't. Wufei wondered how great a connection existed between the monster and the snakes in an apparently symbiotic relationship with him. As far as he knew no research had been done on the subject--  
  
No, he told himself firmly. He is a monster. Not a source of interest--not even a friend.  
  
He was also a liability. Wufei looked around the forest clearing they were in--and froze--  
  
What they'd thought from the trees to have been a forest was instead a park- -right in the middle of a pretty fair size town. Already a few people were out and about, leaving their houses and wandering the streets either side of the park.  
  
So far they hadn't seen him or Duo--but when they did--  
  
Or rather, when Duo saw them--  
  
As if on cue the gorgon sighed, stretching and rolling over. "Morning 'Fei. Did you sleep well?"  
  
Wufei opened his mouth to say 'Don't be ridiculous," and paused. Actually, after being woken by Duo he had slept well. "The snake bite--the venom put me to sleep!"  
  
"Quite a neat little party trick, huh?" Duo grinned at him. "The little brown one comes in useful a lot." He stretched again and sat up. "So where are we?"  
  
Wufei sighed as shouts from the villagers told him they'd been noticed. "In a disaster waiting to happen."  
  
"Huh?" Duo blinked at him, before turning to scan their surroundings.  
  
"Don't--" Wufei yelled but it was too late.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
tbc. 


	5. five.

****

BEAUTIFUL.

part five.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Idiot!" Wufei yelled over the screams of the surrounding townsfolk. 

"You could have told me," Duo yelled back, hands firmly clamped over his eyes. 

The snakes hissed, alarmed at the large amounts of noise and movement coming from the surrounding people--all save two.

Wufei groaned, pulling off his shirt. "Here," he said roughly rolling it into a blindfold. "This will fix that--"

The people still screamed. 

Wufei sighed. Although they had reason to be alarmed--waking up to find a gorgon in your midst does tend to do that--he wished they could be a little bit more orderly in their panic. "Will you all kindly stop that!"

From shock more than anything else, they did.

"Way to go, Wufei," Duo whispered quietly behind him.

Ignoring his companion, Wufei bowed to the startled villagers. "It may seem hard to believe this, but my companion and I are sorry for the harm we've done. We meant you no harm."

"That thing turned my husband into stone!" a lady accused.

"I'm sorry--really I am," Duo said. "I have no control over this--believe me, I would not choose to hurt anybody. As useless as my words are, I'm sorry . . . and Wufei and I are on a quest to find the Oracle."

"We hope to find a way to reverse this spell," Wufei said. "As you can see Duo's eyes are covered. He is no threat to you."

"No threat?"

"None."

The snakes looked affronted. 

The townspeople seemed to be entirely too pleased with that. Wufei watched in concern as a few burly men stepped closer. "What are you doing?"

"Oi! Ow--" Duo was abruptly seized by his snakes and pulled back by one of the men. "Not the snakes, not the snakes, not the snakes--"

"Let him go!" Wufei yelled, outraged. "We mean you no harm--what are you doing?"

"He's a monster isn't he? We're doing what any good citizen would do," the man holding Duo sneered.

Another one hefted a blade, grinning. "How much do you think a gorgon's head is worth on the market, hmm?"

"Let him go!" Wufei tried to free Duo and was roughly swatted aside by the man holding him. 

"Hey, kid, why don't you come back in a couple of years, huh?" the man asked rudely. 

Wufei growled. "No one calls me a kid!"

The man never knew what hit him.

"Wow--Wufei? What just happened?"

Duo, newly freed, tried to work out the situation. He'd been held, about to be killed--then they'd been a couple of grunts, a scream--and then a rather loud thud as the guy holding him had presumably keeled over. There had been a few shocked gasps at that too. Not to mention one of his snakes whistling in appreciation. 

"Silence," Wufei cautioned him, adopting a fighting stance. They were not out of the woods yet and the villagers would not be so easily taken by surprise again. A couple of men were picking up weapons, building their nerve to attack.

"Come on," he challenged them. "Anyone else want to challenge a kid?"

The men exchanged glances and stepped forward cautiously. 

"Is that all?" Wufei said scornfully. "I should not have expected better from a bunch of weaklings like yourselves." He switched his stance to one more suitable for a swift attack. "I am Chang Wufei of the Dragon clan. I never lose a fight--and I never run from one either! Face me, and be defeated, you cowards!"

Finally he had goaded them into an attack. Wufei calmly eyed the men rushing towards him weapons drawn--then grabbed Duo and pulled the gorgon in front of him, pulling away the makeshift blindfold in one movement.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lady Une sighed as she walked down the crowded street. At times like this she was too well aware that a position of responsibility such as hers was a double-edged sword. While she had the role of making sure that Treize was perfectly happy, and knowing that he was happy because of something she'd done was enough to make her life fulfilled, such a job came with some arduous tasks. Such as birthday shopping. The lady looked around the many shops in something approaching despair, for what did you get the megalomaniac that had everything?

He already had antique swords and fine robes in plenty. He had enough private rose gardens to start a small nation state, and there wasn't a fine vintage he didn't already have at least three amphora of. He wasn't too fussed on jewelry, although the worth of what he owned would have kept a medium sized standing army for a year--he had plenty of those as well.

Maybe she should be thinking of getting something for his artistic side. After all, Treize was as much an admirer of beauty as he was of war--and she had seen a shop that specialised in mosaics back there . . . 

As she retraced her steps, Lady Une found her way blocked. 

A wagon lay across the street, effectively cutting off her path, as workmen unloaded several marble statues. There was no way she could get round them, and from the looks of things, they weren't going to be finished any time soon. Une sighed, drumming her fingers on her arm. She would just have to wait. Idly she studied the works in the cart.

And stared.

Working with Treize she had become a fair connoisseur of artistic goods. She knew enough to know that these statues were of the highest quality. Such realism! She fingered the minute folds in the tunic of one of the statues, as she examined the careful craftsmanship. Surely such work could only come from a master--and yet, she could not put a name to the style. 

Stepping back a bit she looked up at the name painted above the storefront hoping to receive a clue as to the sculptor. The still wet paint read 'Peacecraft's.' Intrigued, Une went inside.

An hour later she emerged, well pleased with herself. 

Not only had she found the perfect present for Treize, it was going to be gift wrapped and home delivered for no extra charge. 

Treize was going to be very happy, the Lady thought smiling as she picked up the overlord's rose petals on the way back to his palace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You know," Duo said as they ran. "I kind of expected more from you, Wu."

"It's Wufei," Wufei yelled back, as he tried to concentrate on running and dodging thrown projectiles at the same time.

"Running, sure," the gorgon continued unabashed, jumping a low log. "Done that plenty of times. Hiding, yeah, I'm okay with that."

Wufei just grunted.

"But lying! Wu, how could you?"

"When did I lie?" The warrior was not so outraged he forgot to keep moving.

Duo adopted a righteous tone. "I am Chang Wufei from the Dragon clan! I never run from a battle!"

"I do not talk like that!" Wufei yelled, dropping back to run alongside the gorgon. "And," he continued, scowling at Duo, "this is not running from a battle."

"What is it, then?" Duo asked.

"Running from an enraged mob!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relena smiled happily as she counted the gold coins. "Financial security, here I come!"

Trowa winced from his secure metal cage. Just what sort of creature was this? "I can't believe you sold your own brother to that . . . scary woman!"

Relena shrugged, still engrossed in her counting. "Ah, Milliardo can take care of himself."

"Have you no conscience? How can you do such things?" Trowa demanded. 

"You're just upset because I sold the little blond warrior to the freaky Arabian guy who wanted a new statue for his cult."

Trowa glared at her. This was setting his date with the aforementioned blond back ages--"You evil twisted malevolent--"

"Shush, please," Relena sighed. "It's not nice to use such language around a lady."

"Well you are!"

"I couldn't just stand there and let them repossess my kingdom!" Relena snapped. "Now hush! I happen to be trying to run a business here!"

There was knock at the door. 

"Yes?" Relena called.

"Miss Relena? We've found the gorgon's trail."

"Do tell." Relena opened the door.

Trowa strained against his cage, hoping to catch the conversation although he knew he could not hope to help Duo.

"Ten villagers? Oh dear," Relena exclaimed.

"And that's not all, miss--"

Trowa groaned. It didn't sound as though Duo was having luck on his quest.

"And now a mob is pursuing him. Just great," Relena sighed. "Have Pargan take over the shop. I see I'm going to have to bring our wayward gorgon back before he gets killed. And bring the dryad with you when you come! I'm going to change into my travelling clothes--" Relena left the room but returned. "One more thing."

"Yes, Miss Relena?"

"Tell Pargan that under no circumstances is he to sell Heero, got that? No matter what price he's offered." Relena smirked in Trowa's direction. "With that and the knowledge that we have you prisoner, I have no doubt that Duo will be perfectly amenable to helping us out."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mob looked angry.

That was putting in mildly.

"Man, do they look pissed," Duo said conversationally. "I'd hate to be whoever they're looking for."

Wufei rolled his eyes.

"Oh--hey, wait. That would be us."

"Yes, gorgon. And if you are not quiet, they will find us even quicker."

"Well, excuse me for trying to make conversation."

Wufei repressed a sigh. "Duo, do you really think making conversation is the best thing to be doing given that we have an enraged mob searching for us bare metres away?"

Duo shrugged. "They're pretty dumb. I bet they don't find this cave--especially not with those branches we pulled over the entrance."

"Even so, perhaps you could be either silent or move further back in the cave?"

"Fine." The gorgon got up. "Sheesh, can you believe this guy? He'll save my life but he won't talk to me. Noooooo, that would be asking a bit to much for Chang Wufei of the Dragon clan to talk to a monster like me--"

Wufei scowled.

"I didn't save your life. Getting you out of that predicament was necessary for the success of this quest and Quatre and Heero's recovery--"

"Yes, all right! We don't need to go over this again! You don't care about me in the slightest--in fact, I bet as soon as we've seen this Oracle and got Heero fixed, you'll be joining the queue to take off my head!" 

Wufei was surprised at the bitterness in the gorgon's tone.

"Duo--"

"No! Look--don't even pretend to like me, okay? Don't talk to me--"

"But Duo--"

"Just don't!"

Wufei watched as the gorgon retreated further into the cave. 

It would be pointless to go after him--so why did he feel at once a strange compulsion to--as well as an equally strong fear of doing so?

This is ridiculous, Wufei thought, turning his attention back to the mob futilely searching outside the cave. They seemed to be growing more dejected in their searching now. Wufei waited until he heard one of the men call off the search, then turned to head back further into the cave.

"Gorgon?" 

No answer.

Then again, he did have a name . . .

"Duo?"

Still nothing. Growing worried, Wufei quickened his pace. He spun around a corner, to find Duo leaning against the wall opposite, his back towards him. Wufei's angry exclamation died as he took in the gorgon's dejected posture. He faltered, a rare thing for him.

Duo broke the silence first.

"Stupid," he muttered. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Death has no friends--"

Wufei, still frozen in the shadows, realised Duo was unaware of his presence.

His snakes curled around him, the viper flicking out a thin tongue to dab at a trace of water on his cheek in an attempt to comfort--

"Who's there?"

Both Wufei and Duo were taken unawares by the voice--and the light that accompanied it. Wufei hissed as it stung his eyes.

Duo was apparently less affected. "Wow--where did you come from?"

This time the voice had a ring to it that was definitely flirtatious. "I should be asking you that--handsome."

Handsome? Wufei nearly squawked. An onna of all their luck--and a strangely suicidal and snake-fixated onna at that! He opened his mouth to say something--then realised the situation was much worse than that. 

"Aren't you going to introduce yourselves?" the girl said, shuffling her feet coyly--all four of them.

"You--you're a centaur aren't you?" Duo asked, snakes nearly choking each other as they all wound about in excitement, trying to get a better view. "I've never met a centaur before. I'm Duo, pleased to meet you."

"Hilde, absolutely delighted to meet you." She giggled as she gave Duo her hand. "I've met gorgons before--but never one as cute as yourself--"

"Okay, break it up, you two. We're on a quest, remember?" Wufei said, stepping forward--and blinking as he found himself on the wrong end of a drawn bow.

"Don't take another step, human scum," Hilde threatened.

"Hey--wait a minute!" Duo protested. "You can't shoot Wufei!"

"Don't tell me he's a friend of yours," the centaur said, looking at Duo in surprise. "You can't trust humans, everyone knows that."

"Not all humans hate us," Duo said. "There are some good humans out there--I accidentally turned them to stone, and Wufei's here to help me find a way to turn them back."

Hilde looked from Duo to Wufei and back again. "How come he's not a statue?"

Wufei gritted his teeth. This situation was infuriating. Not only was he dependent on a monster to talk her out of lowering the bow, but they were talking about him as if he wasn't even present.

"I don't think it's my place to say. It's kind of personal," Duo crossed to Wufei. "Anyway, be a doll, and put that bow away, huh? I need him to take me to the Oracle."

"The Oracle?" the centaur repeated. "Of Delphi? Can I go with you? I've never visited the Oracle and there's a question she could help me with."

"Hey, the more the merrier!" Duo said happily. "I hardly ever get to meet fellow monsters--and Wufei doesn't mind, do you Wu?"

Wufei looked at the arrow still pointed at him. "Not at all," he said.

"He's okay, a little grumpy, but okay," Duo said, as Hilde reluctantly returned her bow to her shoulder. "Shall we get going?"

"I'd rather you two wait here a little longer--I have a troop of human hunters after me. I'll just go take a look round and check that the coast is clear," Hilde said, leaving the two guys alone in the cave.

"An onna," Wufei sighed. "Just what we need."

Duo leaned back against the wall. "You know what, Wufei? I think I've figured out why you don't like women so much."

"Do tell," Wufei said grimly, leaning against the wall.

"Well the Furies are female, right? And they pursue justice on behalf of wronged females, so--"

"I did not wrong Meiran! She betrayed me!"

Duo's snakes hissed in surprise as Wufei whirled on them suddenly. 

"Hey, take it easy! I didn't mean to upset you." Duo held up his hands in appeasement.

Wufei looked at him and sighed and bowed. "Forgive me, Duo. I have done you yet another disservice."

"Huh?"

The snake's flicked their tongues out, indicating their own confusion. 

"You protected me from Hilde just then--even though you didn't have to. You have helped me, tried to make friends with me, overlooked my temper, even when I have been only ungrateful in return. You are a better man than I."

"Wufei--"

"Please, allow me to finish," Wufei said, straightening from his bow. "If it is not too late to change my mind, then I would be honored to call you friend."

Duo wiped his eyes. "Thanks, Wufei, that means a lot to me."

Wufei smiled in return. "Friends?"

"Friends," Duo repeated squeezing his hand.

"The coast is clear," Hilde said from the cave entrance where she'd watched the exchange. "Let's go." As they joined her, she grinned. "If you guys are nice to me, I might even let you ride me."

Duo snickered. "That sounds so wrong!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"How long till we get to the Oracle?"

"You only asked that question five minutes ago!"

"Oh," Duo sounded surprised. "I'm sure it was longer than that."

Wufei opened his mouth to say something, then noticed a marker by the side of the road. "Delphi, one hour. We're almost there!"

"Duo-chan, how's my hair look?" Hilde asked the gorgon who was being carried on her back. "I don't want to look untidy for the Oracle, you know."

"Good. I should do something to fix up mine," Duo said. 

Wufei snorted skeptically. "Is that even possible?"

"Watch this!" Duo addressed his snakes. "Okay ladies, you know the drill--plait please."

The snakes flicked their tongues out at him and then surprisingly, sorted themselves into three groups and wound themselves around each other in an equal pattern. They hung docilely at Duo's back, flicking their tongues in and out--apparently, they did not enjoy this.

"I'll let you guys out later--for now we want to make a good impression," Duo said.

"Oh, don't worry," Hilde said. "I'm sure you'll make a very good impression."

She frowned. "I really wish I'd straightened my mane before we left--you guys don't mind I take a moment to freshen up do you? There's a pond over there--"

"Go ahead, Hilde," Duo slid off her back.

"Thanks guys!" the pretty centaur trotted away.

Wufei leaned against a tree impatiently. More delays--

"Hilde's nice, isn't she?" Duo said chirpily. "I'm glad we met her. I don't get to meet many people who don't freak out at my appearance or you know--"

"Yes," Wufei admitted. So maybe she wasn't as bad as he'd thought. Duo was enjoying having someone to talk to--and the centaur and gorgon talked a lot. Hang on--this was the second monster he was considering not killing. What had come over him?

"Any idea why those humans were pursuing her?"

Duo shrugged. "Didn't ask. This area used to be home to a lot of centaurs though--in fact, I'm surprised to see humans here at all. It's like centaur only country, has been for centuries." He wrapped a finger round the little brown snake, tickling its chin, thoughtfully. "My mother taught me that . . . she was funny, didn't matter that we lived alone on an island with no chance of interaction with others, she wanted all her kids to have a decent education."

"A worthy lady," Wufei said. He was just noticing how each of Duo's snakes were interesting in their own way. Apart from the stark black and white stripes of the water snake, they were mottled brown, specks of light and dark brown blending to create patterns and waves. It was, in a weird way, quite striking. 

It reminded him oddly of Meiran.

"Duo," he asked. "You and Heero are friends, right?" At the gorgon's nod, he asked, "How did that happen?"

"He was thrown from Wing, hurt, Trowa and I took care of him. In a darkened cave, of course," Duo said. "We talked, got to know each other, and, yeah, became friends." He sighed wistfully.

"Did you ever tell him what you were?" Wufei asked intently. 

"No."

"Why, Duo?"

The gorgon sighed. "Fear. Fear and this selfish desire to keep his good opinion of . . . I told him to go, told him not to come back, but I didn't tell him what I was. Funny though, I didn't fear death--although I knew he was a monster killer and would kill me. I'm not an innocent like Trowa, I've killed humans--not that you can really call Trowa innocent, at least I don't think so. Possibly on a good day when--am I rambling? Sorry--"

"What did you fear?" Wufei asked. "You said it wasn't death--"

The gorgon looked at him. "Heero's hate. I couldn't bear it, if he hated me." He gave Wufei a rueful grin. "I kinda wish that I hadn't said anything when I saw him in that glade that day--then he wouldn't have known it was me. He'd have slain the gorgon like he was supposed to, and he'd still think of me as a friend--"

Duo sighed. "Man, I'm getting gloomy. Hey, tell you what, I'm going to climb a tree, see if I can see the Oracle from here, huh?"

Wufei nodded. Duo had given him a lot to consider.

Perhaps he was . . . wrong?

"Metal?"

"Duo? What do you see?" Wufei stepped back to look up at his companion.

"I'm not sure. Something just glinted off something in those trees there, it looked like metal. Yeah, there's more, going towards the lake."

The lake--Hilde.  
"Hurry!" Wufei yelled to Duo scrambling towards the centaur. "Hilde's in trouble."

He was correct. 

The centaur was surprised and outnumbered, caught under a net and unable to defend herself. Cursing at the weakness of an opponent who would use such low tactics against a non aggressive combatant, Wufei launched into battle, taking out one opponent and putting himself between the centaur and her attackers.

"Leave her alone!"

"And give up the bonus?" One of the men snorted, raising a bow. "We're employed to rid this district of centaurs so the farmers can move in--and that's what we're going to do. Fire!"

Wufei could deflect the first arrow, and the second, but he hadn't a hope of getting the third and fourth--the archers had decided to co-ordinate their efforts. Noting their ready arrows, and their lethal destinations he shut his eyes and stepped in front of the centaur. 

"Um, excuse me?"

"What now?"

Wufei cautiously opened his eyes again. Six statues, bows still at the ready, stood turned towards the gorgon who had his hands on his hips. 

"That's better," Duo said with a smirk. "Oi, Wufei, you okay?"

"Fine," Wufei said. "Hilde?"

"Get me out of this net and I'll be just peachy," the centaur said quietly. "I'll have to redo my hair."

"Onna's," Wufei sighed.

It was easy to free Hilde from the net. The centaur fidgeted, finally taking Wufei's hand. 

"Wufei, thank-you," she said. "I take back what I said about humans. You saved my life."

Wufei's mouth dropped open in surprise. He had--

"Yeah! Way to go Wufei!" Duo hugged him. "You did it! The curse is lifted!"

The curse--lifted? Wufei began to laugh, and then cry simultaneously. "I'm not cursed!" He pulled back to grin at Duo. "Thank-you--"

"For what? I didn't do anything--oops--"

Wufei became aware of the growing stiffness in his limbs the moment Duo did. 

"I'm sorry Wu--I didn't--"

"Quiet," Wufei said. "I know you didn't. Just make sure you find the Oracle, okay--" He hesitated and smiled. "Friend."

"Thank-you, Wufei," Duo said to the statue. "I will." He turned to Hilde. "If I go ahead to the Oracle, will you stay and guard him?"

"No problem, after all, I owe him for getting rid of those hunters," the centaur nodded to him. "Good luck, Duo-chan."

"Thanks Hilde. Let's hope I don't need it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

tbc.


	6. Six

****

BEAUTIFUL

part six.

**Huge thank-you's to Nicola for her input into this part!**

~~~~~~~~~~~

Two giant stone lions stood at the entrance to the Oracle, white marble skin gleaming in the sunlight. They were awe inspiring as they were intended to be, at once a statement of the Oracle's majesty and a warning to idle travelers. Duo stroked one of his snakes absently as he studied the jaws of the lion closest.

"At least no one can blame me for this," he murmured to the snakes.

He got a slight hiss in response. The snakes were unnerved by the tension radiating off him and had long since unraveled from the plait and were being impossible to calm. Duo couldn't help it. Wufei and Hilde, Quatre who had been so kind, Trowa who'd been left to deal with the vicious Relena, and Heero . . . 

He was worried about all his friends.

It wouldn't be so bad, he thought, hesitating before the lions, if he had even one of them with him. One of them to make him believe, even momentarily, that he was not just a monster--

He sighed, taking his first step down the path. No point in hesitating--after all, it was his friends he was doing this for.

The marble dwelling at the end of the path gave the gorgon another pause. Should he knock? Call out? Just go in? There didn't seem to be a door--but it would be very impolite to interrupt the spokesperson of a god--

"Ow!"

Duo rubbed his elbow muttering curse words and glaring at the water snake. 

"That was totally uncalled for!"

The snake flicked its tongue out. In its opinion, the gorgon had spent far too much time already in indecision. Just get on with it.

However, the snake's bite had a decidedly different consequence.

"Ah, Duo, come in. Perfect timing, you know, I'd just finished the anti-venom."

The gorgon started at the voice, and looked around, searching for its source. "Ah--you were expecting me? Where are you?"

"Come inside, please, and yes, I have been expecting you for several days now. I hope you don't mind if I don't show myself immediately. I may be the priestess of Apollo, but I'm not sure if his protection extends to gorgons and I'm in no hurry to find out."

"Fair enough," Duo shrugged, stepping cautiously into the temple. Following instructions issued by the unseen speaker he soon found himself in a small antechamber in which a concoction of herbs, a bandage and a strange looking object had been laid out.

It was easy enough to tell what the herbs were for. Duo expertly bound the wound, muttering at the unrepentant water snake, then drank the anti-venom quickly. 

"What is this?" he asked, picking up the strange object. 

It appeared to be wire for the most part, with two glass plates set in it, and two spindly hooks either end. Duo could not fathom what its purpose was.

"Place the hooks over your ears and slide the glass down over your face, rather like a visor for your eyes. How is that?"

Duo blinked. "I can see, but everything's darker--I suppose that would be because of the glass."

"Yes, the glass is tinted so as to hide your eyes while allowing you to see," a woman stepped out from the corridor, and held out her hand. "Po Sally, Oracle, at your service."

"Thank-you," Duo said, shaking her hand. "I'm--"

"Duo, I know."

"How--"

"I am an Oracle. And yes I do know why you're here, and they're sunglasses, not my invention but an idea of the god's. Now Duo, tea or wine?"

"Uh--I'll have--"

"Tea. Of course. Two lumps, wasn't it?"

"Uh--yes."

"And help yourself to the biscuits."

Duo clutched his cup as though it was a lifeline. "Where--"

"On the table by your elbow."

"Oh."

No wonder Wufei didn't like the Oracle. She's freaky--but cool, Duo decided, as he sipped his tea. It was just the way he liked it. She'd even put out some raw meat for his snakes. 

"I did have live mice--I believe that is what pythons prefer, is it not? Unfortunately, they escaped. I won't be able to find them all for several days."

"Ah--that's okay," Duo said, taking quick sideways glances at the Oracle. It was still hard to believe he was looking at someone without the possibility of turning them into stone--all thanks to some tinted glass.   
Sally was a tall, no nonsense looking woman, and Duo wondered why they'd even bothered with the lions outside. Sally was enough to daunt any troublemaker. She had olive colored skin, similar to Wufei although her long hair was a much lighter shade. 

"Pardon me, but are you and Wufei any relation? Not that I'm an expert on humans or anything but--"

"Our appearance is slightly similar. No, we're not related although we share the same country of origin. In addition, I happen to be well acquainted with the senior members of his clan, including his sword master."

"Really?" Another possible reason Wufei might be less than thrilled about finding the Oracle to be someone he knew . . . 

Sally chuckled. "Let's see . . . we've got a good ten minutes before Noin arrives with the materials for your choice so would you say no to a good gossip session?"

"About Wufei?" Even Duo's snakes looked interested.

Sally poured herself a cup of tea. "Didn't think you'd say no. Well, when Wufei was three and still being toilet trained--"

"Wait--he was still being potty trained when he was three?" Duo snickered. 

The minutes passed happily. 

It was lucky for all concerned that Wufei was currently a rather tasteful statue standing in the middle of a wood guarded by a centaur, and thus oblivious to the conversation taking place in the temple of Apollo at Delphi. 

Ten minutes later, when Noin arrived, it was to find Duo still wiping the tears from his eyes and trying to regain his breath. Sally was pink from laughing and trying to administer first aid to the little brown snake who had been laughing so much it had bitten its tongue.

"Do you think I need to administer an anti-venom? It did get bitten--even if it was by itself," Sally wondered.

"It'll be fine. I think they're naturally resistant to venom," Duo said, spotting the new arrival. "Who might you be?"

"Noin." The woman extended a hand. "Is that eye-armour?"

"Something like that, only it's there to protect us," Sally said. "Gorgon, and all . . ."

Noin snorted. "Oh, it'd take more than a gorgon to put a stop to me. Furies aren't wimps, you know."

"Excuse me?" Duo said incredulously. "Did you say you were a Fury?"

"Yes. Federation for the Unavenged, Revenge-driven and Ignored, Lieutenant Noin at your service." The woman bowed. 

Duo continued to stare. The woman's hair was cropped short in a practical manner, but apart from that there was no hint that she was anything more than an ordinary human woman--

"Is there a problem, Duo?" Sally asked.

"I always thought that Furies were supposed to be, you know, awful and terrifying," the gorgon admitted.

"Oh, and you're wondering why I don't appear to be a hideous hag, right?" Noin smiled. "I'm off duty."

"That's all?"

"Oh yes, I have to turn off being a Fury when I'm not needed, otherwise I might terrify the wrong people, very bad."

"So what do you look like when you are a Fury?" Duo asked.

"I'd show you," Noin offered. "But then you'd go out of your mind with terror."

Somehow Duo didn't think she was joking. "I'll pass."

"Good decision," the Fury said, sipping the cup of tea Sally had poured her. "You wouldn't want to share what Wufei went through."

"Of course!" Duo suddenly remembered. "You were the ones that sent him that dream."

"He was a tough case," Noin said, sipping the drink. "I must say I was glad when you turned up and helped him break the curse. I'd hate to see a good soldier like him driven insane, but--" she shrugged.

Duo had so many questions he couldn't keep up with them all. "Insane? And what do you mean, I helped him? He helped me--"

"Noin believes that without meeting you Wufei would not have come to the conclusion that some monsters were worth saving," Sally said. "Your friendship accomplished what three years of Noin's worst dreams couldn't."

"I owe you, gorgon," Noin said. "Which is why I'm helping you out. Sally knew you'd be looking for a way to change your friends back, so she sent to me to prepare some potions for you. Furies are experts on transmutation--we have to be, given that we can kill with our appearances."

"You mean—it's possible? I can see Heero again?"

Sally smiled. "That's up to you," she said. "Now, I have to go and prepare."

"What did she mean by that?" Duo asked Noin as the Oracle departed.

"You'll see soon enough," Noin replied cryptically.

Duo hesitated, then asked, "Noin?"

"Yeah?"

"Why was it so important that Wufei had to save a monster anyway?"

"It's got to do with the reason he was cursed."

"Oooh!" Duo straightened, interested again. "Does this have anything to do with that Meiran chick?"

"Oh, he told you about her?" 

"Not exactly. Details, please?" Duo tried his hardest to adopt a pleading look. The effect was ruined rather by the snakes fighting amongst themselves for the best listening point.

"Well, it's kind of complicated. You have to understand Wufei grew up in a place where your family and your clan was all important, and clan honor was maintained at all costs. The Dragon clan suffered a string of misfortunes, and sent a group to the Oracle to ask what they could do to turn their fortunes around. The answer they received was to merge with the White Heron clan. Messengers were sent to the White Heron, and in due time the clans were to be linked--by marriage."

"Wufei and Meiran?" Duo guessed.

"Right. Wufei is the son of a very high ranking warrior, and Meiran is a princess. It was a good match on both sides, and neither of the participants were averse to the idea either. They met each other beforehand and had become friends."

"So what went wrong?" the gorgon asked, stroking one of his snakes thoughtfully. "It sounds perfect so far."

Noin sighed. "What happened was that before the marriage took place Wufei saw Meiran in her true form."

"What--you mean she's a monster?"

"No one had informed Wufei of that fact. He was, as one might imagine, both shocked and hurt at being deceived. His family refused to call the marriage off, saying it was necessary for the sake of the clan. Wufei had to abide by the ruling of the Oracle--he married Meiran and left his village immediately after the ceremony. He has not returned since."

"What a mess," Duo said. "I suppose it was Meiran who cursed him?"

"She's a relation of yours, a snake-maiden. Although she doesn't turn people into instant garden decorations, she has some pretty powerful curses."

"Poor Wufei," Duo said sympathetically.  
"Although you can't blame Meiran for being upset," Sally said. "She was dead keen on Wufei, anyone could see that, and being publicly jilted is never a nice thing." The Oracle wiped her hands on her robe. "Well, Duo?"

Duo was on the brink of accomplishing something he'd scarcely dared to believe was possible. Not surprisingly he felt as though he might pass out. "You mean--" 

"Time for you to make a choice," Sally motioned to the door she'd just come out of. "It's up to you now."

Duo gulped. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hmm," Relena examined the man before her thoughtfully. He was well built, holding a bow, and wearing an expression of extreme surprise. He was also stone. "I think we're catching up with our runaway gorgon."

"Miss Relena!" one of her entourage called to her. "We've found centaur tracks."

"Oh, how lovely for you."

"Would you like to pursue the centaur? They're worth a lot--"

"Do I look like some ruthless money grabbing despot?" Relena snapped. "I'm a proactive business woman here, trying to pursue a sustainable venture, not indulge in some high returns speculating in an eventually limited market. We go to Delphi."

Trowa rolled his eyes inside his cage, inwardly very worried. Where was Duo now? Would he break the spell before Relena caught up with him?

One of the men knocked his cage on purpose. "Worried about your friend, huh?"

"It's you I'm worried about," Trowa said coolly. "Duo's a gorgon, practically impossible for humans to defeat after all--and you're just a human."

"Let's get a move on people!" Relena called. 

Trowa frowned as his cage was again shunted forward. Duo--if we get out of this, I'm shouting you and all your snakes to the meal of your choice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two eyes watched this scene silently from the bushes. Inwardly, they were in turmoil.

Man, Duo has hot friends, Hilde thought, watching the dryad. Although that girl is scary . . . she's definitely not looking for Duo to help him. Should I go and warn him about her?

She cast a look back at the stone statue beside him. Wufei, even on the brink of being turned into stone, was calm. 

No, Hilde decided. I can't leave Wufei--anything might happen. A vandal might come along and--well, you know. And at any moment now the spell could be broken--best to let the scary girl get a distance ahead and then see if she could follow undetected incase Duo needed help. 

Hilde expertly and noiselessly began to tie branches together to make a stretcher like construction. She gently lowered Wufei onto it, as she began work on a harness for herself. I'll be helping Duo and protecting Wufei, she thought smugly. No one can argue with that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Socks! Togas!" 

Lady Une kept a respectful distance as gifts went flying through the air. 

"I have an army of supporters and not one of them can come up with something more original than this?" Treize looked scornfully at a sock before running it through with his dagger. "And don't even get me started on the aftershave! I've got so many bottles of it this year I'm beginning to think someone is trying to tell me something."

"Your Majesty should not need to feel concern over his personal appearance," Une murmured placatingly. "You are the epitome of good hygiene."

Treize sighed, only partially mollified. "Of course, thank-you Une. I'm sorry for losing my temper." He turned his back to her to look out the window. "I'm afraid not even you could make this day a success."

Une smiled. "I beg your leave, Lord. There is one gift you have not yet opened."

"Oh?" Treize turned from the window. "And what gift would that be, Lady?"

"Mine."

The Lord raised one fine eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"You'll forgive me, I hope," Une motioned to the door. "I took the liberty of bringing the gift to your quarters."

"I am intrigued, Lady. What do you have in store for me?"

"Your lordship will have to open the present to find out." Although Une hid it well she was pleased to note that Treize's footsteps had quickened.

"It's certainly big," Treize said. 

"Happy birthday, sir," Une said. 

Treize was too busy ripping the wrapping off his present to hear her. 

He was speechless.

Une smiled secretly as she poured a glass of wine. "Is your gift to your liking, Lord?"

"Very much. Lady--where did you find this? This sculpture is so detailed, intense--" Treize broke off, shaking his head in amazement. "I've never seen art of this realism, this grace--and the model!"

Une smirked. There was no other word for it. "Am I to take your lordship is pleased?"

She almost fainted as Treize kissed her on the cheek. 

"Very pleased, Lady. You must have some reward. Take a day off--choose some present for yourself. I know--pick a country! If it's mine, it's yours; if not, I'll conquer it for you."

Une blushed happily. "Merely knowing you are happy is reward enough for me, Lord. I bid you goodnight."

She returned to her room in such a good mood she almost forgot to order a list of the people who had sent Lord Treize socks drawn up for future reference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The room was dark and didn't smell nice. 

"Stop that," Duo told his snakes who were hissing themselves into a frenzy. "It's just a room. It's not going to kill us."

The snakes continued to twist about anxiously. 

"You're giving me a headache! Stop it!" the gorgon complained.

Just then a gentle light began to grow. Duo backed up against the wall, snakes frozen as the light grew, gradually illuminating the contents of the room--a long mirror, and a table in front of it with three cups set out on it. 

When nothing untoward happened after another moment, Duo detached himself from the wall and approached the table.

The goblets were each different. Duo removed the eye armour to look at them. The first one, a gold cup, was engraved with flowers, and the words 'Tempus fugit.' Duo picked up the glass hesitantly. He sniffed cautiously at the liquid within--then stared. Before him in the mirror he could see a human youth holding a gold cup identical to the one he held---he turned but there was no one there. Frowning at the mirror again, he began to understand as the image returned his frown. 

"It must be a reflection of what will happen if I drink the potion," Duo said, staring at the mirror. The image was fascinating, with long chestnut hair that shone in the sunlight. Duo put a hand to the snakes who hissed at him.

"Freaky," he murmured. "I look just like a human."

The reflection sniffed, placing its hands on its hips. "I'll have you know there is nothing freaky about me at all! I'm gorgeous." 

"Eep!" Duo backed up against the wall. The snakes hissed wildly.

"Cut that out," the reflection ordered, running a hand through his long hair. He smiled, a beautiful smile that displayed no fangs. "So what are you waiting for?"

"Me?" Duo asked, cautiously detaching himself from the wall.

"Aren't you sick of having people run away from you screaming? Don't you want to be appreciated for what you really are?"

"You?" Duo asked.

"Well, yeah. I am your reflection." The image in the mirror flashed him a brilliant smile. "So, what are you waiting for? Take the potion!"

"If you don't mind I'll have a look at these others first."

"Whatever." The reflection shrugged gracefully. "You'll see. Beauty like mine is the only way to go."

"Sure." Duo was pleased to note the human-Duo reflection vanished as soon as he put the cup down. 

The snakes were unanimously voicing their dislike of that reflection. 

Duo sighed at the hissing. "All right, all right! I get the message, you don't like him!" He patted the water snake, trying to calm him down. "I didn't like him much either. Anyway, if I got hair, what would happen to you girls?"

This sparked off another round of frenzied hissing. Apparently this thought had not occurred to the snakes.

To distract them, Duo picked up the next goblet. This one was made of bronze with an intricate design of intertwined snakes making up the decoration. As soon as he picked up the goblet the mirror displayed his usual snaked self.

"A potion to make me into a gorgon?" Duo shook his head. "What's going on here?"

"Obviously, there's more going on here than immediately obvious," his reflection shrugged. "This is a test as well as a choice."

"A test of what?"

Gorgon-Duo shrugged, patting his mirror-image snakes. "Can't tell you."

"Can you give me a hint of what I'm supposed to be doing?"

"Nope." The mirror-snakes looked smug. "You have to do this on your own."

"Great," Duo muttered. "Well thanks."

"You know," the gorgon in the mirror said idly, studying his snakes. "In a situation such as this, it's a good idea to make sure you're in possession of all the facts."

"Facts like what?" Duo said, watching as the mirror gorgon picked up the bronze goblet and swirled it around.

"Anything you want to know. We have to tell the truth after all--something Mr 'I'm too sexy for this mirror' over there isn't too pleased about."

"Oh yeah?" Duo smirked. "I knew there was something off about him. What about you? How come you're helping me?"

The reflection shrugged. "Just because I'm a monster doesn't make me heartless, now, does it? You should know that better than anyone."

He did. Duo studied the reflection. "If I drink this potion, will everything be exactly like it was before?"

"That's right. No surprising side-effects, _no miraculous lifting of certain spells_, no having to worry about split ends or dandruff--"

"Ah," Duo grinned. "I think I see. Does one of these potions have the ability to turn the others back into people?"

The gorgon in the mirror winked and gave him a thumbs up. "Yes. You're getting there, kid."

"Thanks for your help." Duo put the potion down and picked up the golden goblet again.

His human reflection looked pleased. "I see you've decided to make the right choice."

"I want to know something," Duo said abruptly. "If I drink your potion, what will happen to Heero and the others?"

"Oh, forget them!" his reflection chirped, throwing another pretty smile at him, and tossing his long hair. "Looking like this, you'll have all the friends you want!"

"I'll take that as a no," Duo sighed, putting the potion down. "Let's see, not him, not the gorgon, which--by the process of elimination--leaves you."

Duo picked up the third goblet. It was plain, carved from stone, with the word 'Semper' as its only decoration. Duo looked at the mirror and saw it covered in a foggy mist that eventually dissipated to reveal . . . 

A statue.

Scrub that, a statue of Duo.

"You're kidding," Duo said unhappily. "I can't do that!" He put the cup down hurriedly and grabbed the goblet engraved with snakes. "Please tell me that's not--"

"I'm not allowed to tell you much of anything," his reflection shrugged. "It's all up to you now."

The snakes got very rude.

"Shush," Duo told them. "I need to think."

He walked up and down the room, voicing his thoughts as he walked. "I guess it's obvious I have to take the stone potion. I may not like it but there it is. And sure, it'd be pretty neat, not looking like a monster and not turning people into stone, but I can't leave Quatre and Wufei like that, not to mention Heero . . . and all the others."

The snakes sighed, equally depressed. 

"This is a mess and no mistake, isn't it, girls?" Duo said, reaching for the stone goblet before he could change his mind. "Bottoms up, huh?"

"Duo? Oh, Duo!"

Duo froze. Only one person had timing this terrible--

"It's me, Relena! Come out Duo, we have some very important matters we need to discuss. Like whether your dryad friend keeps his head."

"No," Duo groaned. "This can't happen now!"

"Don't listen to her!" Trowa yelled. "Think of Heero and Quatre--ow!"

After a pause Relena called out again. "Enough procrastinating. Duo, come here."

"Why?" Duo said, searching for a weapon of any kind. He was defenceless--Relena had soldiers and they were prepared for him. He wouldn't be able to rely on his snakes--unless--his eyes fell on the different goblets. 

"No one said I could only choose one--" he whispered, picking up the golden goblet and drinking its contents quickly.

"I have a business proposition for you," Relena purred. "With your face and my marketing skills we could have a very profitable partnership."

"And if I say no?" Duo had to put a hand to the wall to steady himself. He felt a lot lighter--his snakes were gone. He put a hand to the chestnut wisps floating around his face--

"Then you don't see Trowa or Heero ever again."

Duo smirked, picking up the bronze goblet. "Then I have no choice . . . although I must warn you, I think you're going to be disappointed."

The gorgon reflection winked at him. "Let her have it."

Duo grinned viciously in response. Payback.

He stepped into the next room. Noin and Sally were absent--he wondered whether Relena had done something to them or if they'd escaped. Trowa was there, staring at Duo with an expression of surprise--Relena and her men had their faces turned away, observing him through the reflections on their shield.

"Duo," Trowa said. "You look like a human!"

"I know," Duo said. "That's kind of the point." He was slightly hurt by the shock in the dryad's voice.

"What happened to your snakes?"

Duo shrugged. "I'm not sure. One moment they were there, the next--"

Relena had by now ascertained that Duo was no longer a gorgon. He had to duck as she threw her shield at him. 

"You idiot! You've ruined everything!" 

"Well sorry for making my own life altering decisions!"

Relena raged. "Do you have any idea what you've done? This has totally screwed up my long term business projections!"

"What?"

"She's opened a gallery," Trowa informed Duo. "She's been selling your victims as high class sculpture."

"What?"

"It was all going so perfectly too!" Relena moaned. "I was even able to make the first repayment on my kingdom." She sniffed. "None of you have any idea how hard it is to run a country! When Milliardo went away it got so hard--all those taxes and banquets and governments and everything. So I took out a little loan--"

Duo judged that neither Relena nor her soldiers were paying that much attention to him. He drank the contents of the bronze goblet.

"Perhaps I shouldn't have spent so much on my wardrobe," Relena mused. "Although when one is a ruler appearances are so important. I'll admit that pink carriage was a mistake though. I can't for the life of me understand how the loan grew so big."

"It happens," Duo said, tapping the last soldier on the shoulder. As the man, annoyed, turned to glare at him, Duo slipped his hand over the man's mouth, and grinned in satisfaction as the man slowly became stone.

"This plan was perfect!" Relena sighed. "I wasn't going to do this forever, you know. Just enough to reclaim my kingdom and amass a modest fortune."

Trowa snorted. "Which is why you sold your own brother?" 

"I couldn't let Milliardo know what a mess I'd made of things," Relena sniffed. "After all the trust he put in me." She wiped away her tears. "I suppose I should kill you now, both of you."

"That might be difficult," Duo said. "You don't have any soldiers left.'

Relena whipped her head up to look at him. "What do you mean--oh. Shit."

"I might feel guilty about this later," Duo said, with a grin. "But I sure as hell don't now."

The snakes added their own thoughts, producing a chorus of snaky laughter.

"Enjoy being a work of high quality art," Trowa said with a grin. "We'll be sure to find a good buyer for you."

Relena screeched and tried to lunge at him. All she succeeded in doing, however, was to overbalance. She was completely stone before she hit the floor.

"It's a shame she had to go and ruin a perfectly good statue by scowling like that," Trowa said, as Duo picked the lock on his cage (the keys which Relena had were now stone). "Now no one will want to buy her."

"Well she can forget the dusk concert," Duo said. "There's no way I'm singing to her." He sighed as the lock finally clicked open.

"What's the matter?" Trowa asked.

"For about a minute there, things were perfect," the gorgon replied. "I wasn't a monster, and it looked as though I'd be able to return Heero and the others to normal."

"There is nothing wrong with being a monster. You should be proud of who you are," the dryad replied.

"I know, Trowa, and I am. It's just . . . I don't want to have a relationship with someone knowing I might accidentally kill them at any moment, you know? Being a gorgon sucks."

"I'm sorry--if I hadn't been captured--"

"Don't apologize for that. It was worth it to see Relena's face when she realized what had happened . . . You know, I still have to take the potion to return everyone to normal. When I do that, Relena's going to be free. We ought to take this opportunity to put her on the inside of the cage she's so kindly provided us with," Duo said. 

Trowa nodded. "I might add her soldiers in as well," he said.

Duo hesitated, about to return to the room with the mirrors. 

"You . . . you've been a great friend, Trowa. I've really appreciated your kindness."

"It's nothing Duo. You're a good friend, yourself."

"Thanks. I--just have fun on your date with Quatre, hmm?"

"Do you really think he'd still be interested?" Trowa asked. "I mean, provided I can find him again . . . Relena sold him to one of the freakiest guys I've ever seen. You would not believe his hair--"

"--dare you do this to me! Don't you know I'm a queen!" Relena screeched, blinking suddenly at her new surroundings. "Huh?" she said eloquently. Around her soldiers began to move, groaning as they caught up with their condition.

"Good and bad news," Trowa observed to Duo. "They've woken up."

He waited for the gorgon's response.

"Duo?"

No reply.

Suddenly concerned, Trowa hurried into the next room. "Duo?"


	7. Seven

****

BEAUTIFUL.

part seven.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pargan sighed as he leafed through the sales receipts. Statues were selling fast, but Miss Relena had no idea of limiting expenditure. 

"Let's see . . . we have just enough to pay back the loan she made against her kingdom, providing of course that she doesn't buy any more shoes--"

The door creaked quietly. 

"Yes," Pargan called, not looking up.

A sword was slammed into desk in front of him. 

Pargan gulped as he met the cold eyes of Heero Yuy.

"Where am I and what the hell was I doing on a pedestal with this attached?" Heero demanded, waving the 'Not for sale' sticker at Pargan. "And more importantly, where's Duo?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Look, I appreciate the gifts and everything, and your hospitality is wonderful, but I'm going to be late for my date so I'm afraid I really have to go, but if you're ever in the area, pop by and say hello, okay? Bye!"

Quatre ran out of the temple, hoping furiously that Trowa was still interested in that date.

The worshippers filed slowly out after him with stunned expressions. 

Abdul tugged the robes of the High Priest. "What does this mean, O Interpreter of the God?"

"Is it not obvious?" Rashid addressed the surrounding crowd. "The God has come to us in human form."

"But he said he wasn't the god," the younger maguanac protested. "He apologised profusely and said there had been some mistake."

There were murmurs from the crowd. Indeed, the blond had seemed most apologetic.

"And he kept going on about some 'Trowa'," Abdul continued. "That doesn't seem very god-like--"

"He is testing our faith," Rashid said slowly. "That is the only explanation--yes, I'm sure of it."

"But the Trowa--"

"Is perhaps another god. We must follow him." Sensing another protest from the younger worshipper, Rashid put up a hand to forestall him. "Who are we to fathom the ways of the gods? We must follow and observe."

The followers nodded in agreement, the ways of the gods were indeed unfathomable. For what mortal could explain why a god would become a statue? Some of the more practical minded followers went home to pack. The rest started after the vanishing god.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Hilde struggled with errant branches. Really, making a stretcher was harder than it looked. Somehow she'd managed to get herself and Wufei tangled up in vines and sticks. "This is a mess!" she sighed, wondering whether she should just give up. Then she thought about the freaky girl getting her hands on Duo and decided that giving it one last shot couldn't hurt. 

It was about then she heard a throat cleared.

"Onna," Wufei asked in tones of great suspicion. "Are you tying me up?"

~~~~~~~~~~~

Trowa approached the room that Duo had entered nervously. He had been gone a while--

Perhaps he needed time to come to terms with losing his chance at being, and Trowa sneered at the word, human. Possibly he was worried about Heero being angry, or maybe--

"Duo? Duo? Oh hell--how did this happen?" Trowa touched his still friend with something akin to shock. "Duo--but--this can't be happening!"

Duo's uncharacteristic silence argued that it was. 

Trowa ran a hand over the frozen snakes, accepting at last that the unthinkable had happened. The gorgon was stone.

"Whoever did this--they'll pay for this, I swear!"

"Well, technically, I suppose he did it to himself so that will be rather interesting," Sally said, stepping out of the shadows at the back of the room.

"Who are you?" Trowa demanded. "Do you have anything to do with this?"

"I'm the Oracle," Sally said. "You must be Trowa."

"Turn him back!" Trowa demanded. "Please! I'll do anything!"

"Anything is not in your power to give, dryad," Sally said, picking up a previously unnoticed item from the table and turning it over in her hands. "Stone Duo is and stone he will remain . . ."

"No," Trowa whispered, tears running down his face.

Duo watched impassively.

". . . unless . . ."

Trowa stared up at Sally. "Unless?"

The Oracle grinned, handing him the object she held in her hands. "True love breaks the spell, of course."

"Oh," Trowa said. "Of course." He looked at the object curiously. "What is--"

"You will meet Wufei on your way out. Give this to him and tell him to take it to Heero, with instructions to come here. And tell him it's about time he went home. He's got a family that misses him and a wife who's ready to say sorry."

Trowa digested all this information with only a raised eyebrow. "And what will I be doing that prevents me from delivering this to Heero myself?"

"You've got a date," Sally said firmly. "You'll have to go north, a half days travel, to find him. By the way, acquire a horse if you can, you'll need it to get away from Quatre's fan club. And Hilde . . . tell her, if she goes south then follows the river, she'll find the rest of her family."

Sally sounded so positive, Trowa didn't question her. Instead he nodded, and saying a silent goodbye to his friend, took one last look at Duo and turned to leave.

"By the way," Sally said. "Something comfortable, and nice, but not too nice to climb in. I'd say your brown tunic with the green trimming."

"What?" Trowa demanded, turning around again.

The Oracle grinned. "Didn't you want to know what one should wear on a date to an oak-tree?"

Trowa blushed and fled.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was almost half of the way through the morning.

Une frowned at the two poached eggs, sunny side up, yolk no more than 40% of the total egg, on top of toast that half an hour earlier had been golden brown and perfectly crisp, and was now soggy. It was not like Lord Treize to be late for breakfast. 

Looking up, she met the anguished gaze of the Cook. She decided to release the hapless servant. "Clear the dishes. I will see what is keeping Lord Treize."

The Cook bowed and fled with the untouched breakfast, relieved at the prospect of not getting tortured.

Une walked crisply to Lord Treize's quarters. She knocked on the door, then entered. "Lord? Are you well?"

"Never better!" 

Une blushed a merry shade of red as Treize kissed her on the cheek. "I must say, my dear Lady, that you give the best presents."

"As I told my Lord, last night, I live only to serve--" Une frowned as she turned and noticed the pedestal on which the statue had been placed was empty. "But where is the--"

"That was amazing, I don't know how you managed it!" Treize said. "Turning a human into a statue for me--incredible! I expect you thought that if you introduced us outright, I'd refuse to meet him? Probably true," the megalomaniac acceded. "I hate blind dates. But Une--to think you'd go to such lengths to play matchmaker for me!"

Une wasn't listening. She'd noticed the unusually rumpled state of the bedclothes and was staring, in a state of shock, at the pale figure within. At the top of the bed, a few strands of golden blonde hair could just be seen. 

"My dear Lady," Treize said warmly. "I had no idea of the depths of your regard for me. Forget about a country--I'm going to give you the known world!" He kissed her limp hand then squeezed it. "By the way, you wouldn't mind getting a breakfast in bed for two sent in?"

Une left the room in something of a daze. She was dimly aware of herself ordering the meal for Treize and then stumbling back to her room. Thoughts flashed through her head without sequence, her head felt alternately heavy and empty. It wasn't until she'd been staring at her mirror for a good fifteen minutes that she began to feel again. 

Oh, she shed a few tears. But it was not long before she picked up the hairbrush and began to smile. 

After all . . . being ruler of the entire known world did have possibilities.

Many possibilities.

~~~~~~~~~~

Some time later. 

Sally was just setting out to check the mail (one bill, two pamphlets, and an appeal envelope for the Society for the Protection of Aged Monsters) when a shadow fell across her path. 

She looked up.

Two humans stood in front of her, outlined in profile by the midday sun. Light flashed from the boy's drawn sword.

"Take me to Duo, now," he said.

The girl's long hair was ruffled by the breeze. "I demand Relena be handed over to me!"

"Heero and Dorothy," Sally said. "Well. You weren't due until tomorrow."

The sword suddenly thrust at her throat indicated that Heero was somewhat less than amused. 

"Right then," Sally said. "I'll just take you to them, okay?"

"I demand to be set free now! I'm a Queen! Hello!"

They heard Relena before they saw her, still in the cage that Duo and Trowa had locked her in. Her soldiers had more or less quit, and after lecturing them a while, Sally had decided that being locked in an enclosed place with Relena was punishment enough and had freed them. 

"Here you go," Sally said. "Relena."

"No you don't," Dorothy put a hand on Heero's arm. "You promised I got Relena. You're here for Duo, remember?"

Heero put down the crossbow. "Hn."

"Heero!" Relena's eyes got all teary as she made a last ditch escape attempt. "You--you're not going to abandon me to that--that witch!"

"Sorceress," Dorothy corrected. "And yes he is, if he knows what's good for him."

Heero just shrugged. "After Wufei told me what you did, I couldn't care less what happens to you. So long as it's nasty--which Dorothy assures me it will be."

The sorceress grinned. "Taking my magic and then turning my own spells against me--you're going to regret the day our paths crossed, Relena!"

The former Queen appeared ready to faint in terror. Sally decided a short break was necessary in order to prolong her agony.

"Tea anyone?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting around steaming cups in the room in which she'd talked with Duo, Sally refilled cups, catching up with outside gossip.

"So Lady Une is now ruler of the known world?"

"Isn't the Oracle supposed to know stuff like this?" Heero asked.

"Hey, I see the future, I'm not omniscient," Sally snapped. "Foresight doesn't exactly come with a menu."

"Sorry."

"She's a pretty fair ruler, on the whole," Dorothy mused. "She's designated a national rose day, and has instituted a thirteen month calendar in order to name a month Treize. But some of her decrees are just plain odd--"

"She's outlawed blondes," Heero said.

Sally blinked. "That is odd." Her eyes fell on Dorothy's corn white locks. "May I ask how you escaped?"

"I have weird eyebrows," Dorothy said. "I'm exempt."

"Oh."

Heero abruptly slammed his cup down on the table. "Enough idle chitchat! Where is Duo?"

"Do you have the sunglasses?" Sally asked. "Good. It might be a good idea if you put them on."

"Why?"

"Because I can't guarantee that we'll be able to turn you back from being a statue a second time," Sally said. 

"Then I'm going to see Duo?" Heero questioned eagerly.

Sally sighed. "Possibly. If you make the right choice. Through that door there."

Heero followed Sally's directions and found himself in a garden--a garden filled with statues. 

Heero stared. Perhaps he'd made a wrong turning.

"Very pretty," Dorothy said behind him, leaning in the doorway. "But I doubt Heero came all this way just to admire your roses, Sally."

"It's a test," the Oracle explained. "One of the statues is Duo. If he can find him, there's a chance Heero can bring him back to life."

"Right." Heero stepped into the garden. About five minutes later he realised he had a problem. After all, the statues got more similar the further into the garden he went. And he'd only gotten a five second look at Duo before he'd been turned into stone.

It was maddening really. He knew how Duo sounded by heart, could describe his scent at length, had a pretty good idea of what he was like by touch--but sight?

He paused in front of a statue. Snaky hair, check. But the eyes--

After a moment he moved on. 

There were more and more statues with snakes now, looking more and more alike. Heero turned amongst them, looking from one to another with something approaching despair. 

Finally Heero clenched his fists. He put the eye-armour over his eyes and shut them tightly, running his hand over the statue closest. It took him only a minute to decide that that was not Duo--the features were too rough.

Similarly the next three were abandoned.

The fourth one--

Running his hand along one side of a graceful face, Heero was reminded of a gentle Duo leaning against him in the dark, confiding his secrets trustingly to Heero. Impulsively he rubbed his cheek against the statue's. It did not feel wrong--

Nor did the rest of him. Heero thought back to that kiss in the dark, trying to match memory to the tactile information. Lips brushed marble even as Heero wrapped his arms around the stone form. Duo--

Heero broke away, a sudden pain in his heart. 

He was just a monster hunter. He didn't know how to lift a spell--he didn't even know if he could. He leant his head against his love's chest, letting the gentle hissing in the background soothe him, as he wondered how he could possibly turn Duo back--

Wait a minute--

Hissing?

Heero's heart froze.

Duo took the opportunity of his love's distraction to kiss him soundly. "You know, Heero," he said. "I don't know how the hell this happened, but let's not waste the opportunity, huh? I mean, why waste time trying to work out why I'm not a statue when we could be making ou--oomph!"  
Heero, apparently, agreed with him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sally and Dorothy watched from a safe distance. 

"Well, they seem happy," the blonde sorceress said.

"Oh, they are," Sally said. "They're going to go at it like drunken centaurs for the next few hours. We should give them a little privacy."

Dorothy reluctantly complied. 

"So what will you be doing with Relena?" Sally asked.

"Well, I need someone to test spells on," Dorothy shrugged. "I'm working on a new one at the moment, one that will turn snakes into hair--I think Duo deserves it. I'll practice on Relena."

"But Relena doesn't have hair-snakes," Sally said.

Dorothy grinned. "She will."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Three months later.

"Quatre!"

The blond looked up just in time to be glomped by an enthusiastic gorgon. "You came to our housewarming!"

Trowa smirked, raising an eyebrow. "You can give a cave a housewarming?"  
"Trowa! You know what I mean!"

Quatre, grinning, disentangled himself from the gorgon's hug and that of the many snakes. "It's nice to see you, Duo. You look well."

The gorgon smiled, pushing his sunglasses back up his nose. "Never been better. You want to come inside? We've got all sorts of party food, Wufei even brought some weird Chinese stuff--"

"Wufei's here?" Quatre asked, eagerly accompanying Duo into the cave.

The warrior looked up at the new comers. "I am. And I was here on time, I might add."

Quatre blushed. "We got . . . distracted."

"It's hard getting away from Quatre's . . . followers," Trowa said blandly. 

A tray was thrust towards him. "Snacks," Heero ordered. The monster hunter looked happy--but his arms and neck were covered in small bandages.

Wufei snorted. "Still no social skills."

He froze as something hissed in his ear. 

"You weren't insulting my Heero were you?" Duo demanded.

Dorothy smirked, joining Quatre and Trowa. "Heero doesn't need social skills dating a gorgon." 

"Hi Dorothy," Quatre said, turning to greet the sorceress. "I didn't know you were invited."

"I wasn't," Dorothy said. "But I had a feeling I'd be welcome." She whistled. "Relena?"

A figure detached itself from the shadows, stomped up to Dorothy, handed her a vial, and stomped back. 

Quatre blinked. Trowa smirked. 

"Um--what happened to her hair?"

Dorothy shrugged. "One of my potions had an unexpected side effect. She's become completely bald."

"Oh dear," Quatre said, but he was smiling.

"I've managed to refine the potion though," Dorothy continued, handing the vial to Heero. "Here. This should solve your problems."

"Um, problems?" Quatre asked. Okay so he was just being nosy--it's allowable.

Heero glared at him and went to talk to Duo.

"Well, you know Heero and Duo love each other despite Duo being a gorgon, and Heero appreciates him for who he is not what he looks like, although he happens to think he looks pretty good anyway, etc, etc, etc," Dorothy continued. "However, the sunglasses get in the way when they want to kiss and the snakes object to their, more, ah, strenuous activities--"

"And stopping every five minutes to apply anti-venom seriously kills the mood," Duo said regretfully, much to Heero's discomfort. "Thanks Dorothy, this should help a lot."

"Go and try it out," Dorothy suggested. "That way I can make any adjustments necessary."

"Sure." Duo grabbed Heero's hand. "Come on, Hee-chan."

Heero stayed put. "I don't think she intended it be tested that thoroughly."

"Aw, you're no fun." Duo paused. "My snakes, will they--"

"They'll be fine," Dorothy promised.

The snakes hissed dubiously. 

"Stop that," Duo told them. "Dorothy's a frie--not totally evi--okay." He winked at his friends, toasting them with the vial. "See you on the other side!"

Quatre watched with a little disappointment as Duo headed into one of the interior caverns to try the potion out. He'd been hoping to see magic working up close, something he'd missed out on.

"So," he said, turning to Wufei. "When do we get to meet your wife?"

Wufei bristled. "When the silly onna lets me go home!"

"He's been thrown out of his house again," Heero said. 

"I'm sorry to hear that," Quatre murmured. "What did you do?"

"Do?" Wufei glared. "I didn't do anything! It's not my fault she decided to get pregnant."

"Snakes get bad tempered when they get broody," Dorothy said. 

Heero snorted, rubbing his bandaged arm. "Tell me about it."

A delighted squeal from the next room interrupted them. "I have hair!"

Quatre joined the rush, heading into the adjoining cavern to see a very happy Duo hugging a handful of snakes.

"Look!" he beamed. "I have hair and my snakes are okay!"

The snakes sat limply in the hug, looking less than impressed. The ones on the ground were sniffing each other interestedly, taking stock of their transformation. 

Quatre stepped back to give the water snake room, then looked up to find Heero running a hand through Duo's hair.

"Beautiful," he whispered, making Duo blush.

Trowa tapped him on the shoulder. "I think this is a private moment."

Quatre took his hand and beamed at him. "I think you're right," he said, leading him out of the cavern. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"This is awesome, Dorothy," Duo said, later the next day. "I can't thank you enough."

"How many does that make it?" Wufei asked Trowa.

"That would be the ninety second time," the dryad replied. "I think she's aware of your gratitude, Duo."

Their friend stuck his tongue out at them, returning to thanking Dorothy. "Being able to hang around with you guys without accidentally turning you into to stone--you have no idea how much this means to me!"

"Actually I believe I started to get some idea--about the fiftieth time you thanked me," Dorothy said dryly.

"We should thank you too," Quatre said from Trowa's lap. "No more accidentally getting stoned--that's always a bonus."

Heero tugged on Duo's hair. "The snakes seem to like it as well," he said, looking to where the reptiles were stretched out, dozing in the sun next to the meadow where Wing grazed alongside Sandrock and Shenlong, the horses having been happily reunited with their owners. 

"Yeah. It feels weird not having them around though," Duo said. "I don't know how I'm going to get used to all this hair. It's so difficult."

Everyone looked at him.

"Um, difficult?" Quatre said. 

"Yeah. It's like it won't listen to me at all, and then it goes and gets tangled up in things. Trowa has had to pull me out of three bushes this morning--ow!" Duo protested as Heero tugged firmly at his hair. "What are you doing?"

"This is a hairbrush," Heero said, gathering Duo's hair on one hand. "This is how you use it."

"Ow! Watch it! Hey--actually that feels kind of nice."

Heero smirked. "Sit down and stop fidgeting."

Quatre cuddled Trowa as they watched Heero braid Duo's hair. "Isn't that sweet?" he said. "You know, if I grew my hair--"

Trowa kissed his forehead. "I think you're perfect the way you are."

"Awww."

"Ick," Wufei grimaced. "If you guys are going to get soppy, I'm going home."

Duo flashed his fangs at him, giving him a wide grin. "Then you better start walking Wufei, because I for one am feeling exceptionally soppy--"

"Oh, Duo, before I forget." Dorothy tossed him another vial. "Fang remover."

Duo threw the potion back. "Actually I think I'll be keeping these."

"Why?" Quatre asked. 

Heero went pink. Duo grinned.

"It turns out Hee-chan find biting a turn on--ow!" Duo winced as Heero gave his braid a sharp tug. 

"That's more than they need to know," the soldier said briskly. 

It was too late for Wufei however. The Chinese warrior had already fled.

End.


End file.
